US20040179037A1 - Using avatars to communicate context out-of-band - Google Patents

Using avatars to communicate context out-of-band Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US20040179037A1
US20040179037A1 US10/747,652 US74765203A US2004179037A1 US 20040179037 A1 US20040179037 A1 US 20040179037A1 US 74765203 A US74765203 A US 74765203A US 2004179037 A1 US2004179037 A1 US 2004179037A1
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
avatar
user
instant message
sender
animation
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US10/747,652
Inventor
Patrick Blattner
John Robinson
Michael Blackwell
Brian Heikes
John Love
James Odell
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Yahoo Inc
Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to US10/747,652 priority Critical patent/US20040179037A1/en
Priority to EP04716149A priority patent/EP1599862A2/en
Priority to AU2004216758A priority patent/AU2004216758A1/en
Priority to JP2006508976A priority patent/JP2006520053A/en
Priority to PCT/US2004/006284 priority patent/WO2004079530A2/en
Priority to CA002517909A priority patent/CA2517909A1/en
Assigned to AMERICA ONLINE, INC. reassignment AMERICA ONLINE, INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: ROBINSON, JOHN D., LOVE, JOHN THOMAS, BLACKWELL, MICHAEL J., BLATTNER, PATRICK D., HEIKES, BRIAN D., ODELL, JAMES A.
Publication of US20040179037A1 publication Critical patent/US20040179037A1/en
Assigned to BANK OF AMERICAN, N.A. AS COLLATERAL AGENT reassignment BANK OF AMERICAN, N.A. AS COLLATERAL AGENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Assignors: AOL ADVERTISING INC., AOL INC., BEBO, INC., GOING, INC., ICQ LLC, LIGHTNINGCAST LLC, MAPQUEST, INC., NETSCAPE COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION, QUIGO TECHNOLOGIES LLC, SPHERE SOURCE, INC., TACODA LLC, TRUVEO, INC., YEDDA, INC.
Assigned to AOL LLC reassignment AOL LLC CHANGE OF NAME (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: AMERICA ONLINE, INC.
Assigned to AOL INC. reassignment AOL INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: AOL LLC
Assigned to GOING INC, TRUVEO, INC, TACODA LLC, AOL INC, YEDDA, INC, QUIGO TECHNOLOGIES LLC, NETSCAPE COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION, LIGHTNINGCAST LLC, AOL ADVERTISING INC, MAPQUEST, INC, SPHERE SOURCE, INC reassignment GOING INC TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Assignors: BANK OF AMERICA, N A
Assigned to MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC reassignment MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • GPHYSICS
    • G06COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06TIMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
    • G06T13/00Animation
    • G06T13/203D [Three Dimensional] animation
    • G06T13/403D [Three Dimensional] animation of characters, e.g. humans, animals or virtual beings
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H04ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04LTRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L51/00User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H04ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04LTRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L51/00User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
    • H04L51/04Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
    • H04L51/043Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM] using or handling presence information
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H04ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04LTRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L51/00User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
    • H04L51/04Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
    • H04L51/046Interoperability with other network applications or services
    • GPHYSICS
    • G09EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09GARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION
    • G09G5/00Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators
    • G09G5/14Display of multiple viewports

Definitions

  • This description relates to projecting a graphical representation of a communications application operator (hereinafter “sender”) in communications sent in a network of computers.
  • send a communications application operator
  • Online services may provide users with the ability to send and receive instant messages.
  • Instant messages are private online conversations between two or more people who have access to an instant messaging service, who have installed communications software necessary to access and use the instant messaging service, and who each generally have access to information reflecting the online status of other users.
  • An instant message sender may send self-expression items to an instant message recipient.
  • Current implementations of instant messaging self-expression enable a user to individually select self-expression settings, such as a Buddy Icon and a Buddy Wallpaper, which settings thereafter project to other users who see or interact with that person online.
  • communicating includes graphically representing, with an avatar capable of being animated, a first user in a communication session involving the first user and a second user.
  • a message is communicated between the first user and the second user.
  • the message conveys explicit information from the first user to the second user.
  • Out-of-band information is communicated to the second user using a change in the avatar appearance or avatar animation as a communication conduit.
  • the out-of-band communication includes a communication that is related to a context of the first user and that differs from the information conveyed in the message sent between the first user and the second user.
  • Implementations may include one or more of the following features.
  • the communication session may be an instant messaging communication session.
  • the avatar may be a facial animation that does not include a body having an ear or a leg or may be a facial animation, including a neck, that does not include a body having an ear or a leg.
  • the out-of-band information may include information indicating an environmental condition associated with the first user.
  • the environmental condition may include an environmental condition related to weather occurring in a geographic location near the first user.
  • the out-of-band information may indicate a personality characteristic associated with the first user or an emotional state associated with the first user.
  • the out-of-band information may include information indicating a setting characteristic associated with the first user.
  • the setting characteristic may include a characteristic related to time of day of the first user or a characteristic related to time of year.
  • the time of year may include a holiday or a season that is one of spring, summer, fall or winter.
  • the setting characteristic may include a characteristic associated with a work setting or a recreation setting.
  • the recreation setting may include a beach setting, a tropical setting or a winter sport setting.
  • the out-of-band information may include information related to a mood of the first user.
  • the mood of the first user may be one of happy, sad or angry.
  • the out-of-band information may include information associated with an activity of the first user.
  • the activity may be performed by the first user at substantially the same time that the out-of-band message is communicated from the first user to the second user.
  • the activity may be working or listening to music.
  • the out-of-band information may include information conveying that the first user has muted sounds associated with the avatar.
  • An animation of the avatar to convey the out-of-band information from the first user to the second user may be triggered based on the information conveyed in the message from the first user to the second user.
  • the trigger may include a portion or all of the text of the message.
  • the trigger may include an audio portion of the message.
  • the trigger may include the passing of a predetermined amount of time during which the first user does not communicate a message to the second user or does not use a computing device that is used by the first user to communicate with the second user in the communication session.
  • the avatar animation used as the communication conduit may include a facial expression of the avatar, a gesture made by a hand or arm of the avatar, movement of a body of the avatar or sounds made by the avatar. At least some of the sounds may include a voice based on a voice of the first user.
  • the avatar animation used as the communication conduit may include a breakout animation that involves displaying avatar outside of normal display space occupied by the avatar.
  • a breakout animation may include telescoping, resizing, or repositioning the avatar.
  • the first user may be provided with multiple preconfigured avatars having associated preselected animations.
  • the first user may be enabled to select a particular avatar to represent the user in the communications session.
  • the first user may be persistently associated with the selected avatar to represent the first user in subsequent communication sessions.
  • the characteristic of the first user may be one of age, gender, hair color, eye color, or a facial feature.
  • Enabling the first user to modify the appearance of the avatar may include enabling the first user to modify the appearance of the avatar by adding, changing or deleting a prop displayed with the avatar.
  • a prop may be one of eyeglasses, sunglasses, a hat, or earrings.
  • the first user may be enabled to modify a trigger used to cause an animation of the avatar.
  • the trigger may include text included in the message sent from the first user to the second user.
  • the avatar may be animated for use as an information assistant to convey information to the first user.
  • Use of the avatar by an application other than a communications application, including an online journal, may be enabled.
  • a depiction of the avatar may be displayed in the form that is substantially similar to a trading card.
  • the trading card depiction of the avatar may include characteristics associated with the first user.
  • Implementations of the techniques discussed above may include a method or process, a system or apparatus, or computer software on a computer-accessible medium.
  • FIGS. 1, 2 and 5 are diagrams of user interfaces for an instant messaging service capable of enabling a user to project an avatar for self-expression.
  • FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a process for animating an avatar based on the content of an instant message.
  • FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating exemplary animations of an avatar and textual triggers for each animation.
  • FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary process involving communications between two instant messaging client systems and an instant message host system, whereby an avatar of a user of one of the instant message client systems is animated based on the animation of an avatar of a user of the other of the instant message client systems.
  • FIG. 7 is a flow chart of a process for selecting and optionally customizing an avatar.
  • FIG. 8 is a block diagram depicting examples of avatars capable of being projected by a user for self-expression.
  • FIG. 9 is a diagram of a user interface for customizing the appearance of an avatar.
  • FIG. 10 is a diagram of a user interface used to present a snapshot description of an avatar.
  • FIG. 11A is a block diagram illustrating relationships between online personas, avatars, avatar behaviors and avatar appearances.
  • FIG. 11B is a flow chart of a process for using a different online personality to communicate with each of two instant message recipients.
  • FIG. 12 is a diagram of a user interface that enables an instant message sender to select among available online personas.
  • FIG. 13 is a diagram of exemplary user interfaces for enabling an instant message sender to create and store an online persona that includes an avatar for self-expression.
  • FIG. 14 is a flow chart of a process for enabling a user to change an online persona that includes an avatar for self-expression.
  • FIG. 15 is a flow chart of a process for using an avatar to communicate an out-of-band message to an instant message recipient.
  • FIGS. 16, 17 and 18 are diagrams of exemplary communications systems capable of enabling an instant message user to project an avatar for self-expression.
  • An avatar representing a user in a communications session may be used to send to another user an out-of-band communication that conveys information independent of information conveyed directly in the text message sent.
  • the out-of-band information may be communicated using a change in the avatar appearance or avatar animation as a communication conduit.
  • an out-of-band communication may include information about the sender's setting, environment, activity or mood, which is not explicitly communicated and part of a text message exchanged by a sender and a recipient.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary graphical user interface 100 for an instant messaging service capable of enabling a user to project an avatar for self-expression.
  • the user interface 100 may be viewed by a user who is an instant message sender and whose instant messaging communications program is configured to project an avatar associated with and used as an identifier for the user to one or more other users or user groups (collectively, instant message recipients).
  • the user IMSender is an instant message sender using the user interface 100 .
  • the instant message sender projects a sender avatar 135 in an instant messaging communications session with an instant message recipient SuperBuddyFan 1 , who projects a recipient avatar 115 .
  • a corresponding graphical user interface (not shown) is used by the instant message recipient SuperBuddyFan 1 .
  • the sender avatar 135 is visible in each of the sender's user interface and the recipient's user interface, as is the recipient avatar 115 .
  • the instant messaging communications session may be conducted simultaneously, near-simultaneously, or serially.
  • the user interface (UI) 100 includes an instant message user interface 105 and an instant messaging buddy list window 170 .
  • the instant message user interface 105 has an instant message recipient portion 110 and an instant message sender portion 130 .
  • the instant message recipient portion 110 displays the recipient avatar 115 chosen by the instant message recipient with whom the instant message sender is having an instant message conversation.
  • the instant message sender portion 130 displays the sender avatar 135 chosen by the instant message sender.
  • the display of the sender avatar 135 in the instant message user interface 105 enables the instant message sender to perceive the avatar being projected to the particular instant message recipient with whom the instant message sender is communicating.
  • the avatars 135 and 115 are personalization items selectable by an instant message user for self-expression.
  • the instant message user interface 105 includes an instant message composition area 145 for composing instant message messages to be sent to the instant message recipient and for message history text box 125 for displaying a transcript of the instant message communications session with the instant message recipient.
  • Each of the messages sent to, or received from, the instant message recipient are listed in chronological order in the message history text box 125 , each with an indication of the user that sent the message as shown at 126 .
  • the message history text box 125 optionally may include a time stamp 127 for each of the messages sent.
  • Wallpaper may be applied to portions of the graphical user interface 100 .
  • wallpaper may be applied to window portion 120 that is outside of the message history box 125 or window portion 140 that is outside of the message composition area 145 .
  • the recipient avatar 115 is displayed over, or in place of, the wallpaper applied to the window portion 120 , and the wallpaper applied to the window portion 120 corresponds to the recipient avatar 115 .
  • the sender avatar 135 is displayed over, or in place of, the wallpaper applied to the window portion 140 and the wallpaper applied to the window portion 120 corresponds to the sender avatar 135 .
  • a box or other type of boundary may be displayed around the avatar, as shown by boundary 157 displayed around the sender avatar 135 .
  • a different wallpaper may be applied to window portion 158 inside the boundary 157 than the wallpaper applied to the window portion 140 outside of the message composition area 145 but not within the boundary 157 .
  • the wallpaper may appear to be non-uniform and may include objects that are animated.
  • the wallpapers applied to the window portions 120 and 140 may be personalization items selectable by an instant message user for self-expression.
  • the instant message user interface 105 also includes a set of feature controls 165 and a set of transmission controls 150 .
  • the feature controls 165 may control features such as encryption, conversation logging, conversation forwarding to a different communications mode, font size and color control, and spell checking, among others.
  • the set of transmission controls 150 includes a control 160 to trigger sending of the message that was typed into the instant message composition area 145 , and a control 155 for modifying the appearance or behavior of the sender avatar 135 .
  • the instant message buddy list window 170 includes an instant message sender-selected list 175 of potential instant messaging recipients (“buddies”) 180 a - 180 g .
  • Buddies typically are contacts who are known to the potential instant message sender (here, IMSender).
  • the representations 180 a - 180 g include text identifying the screen names of the buddies included in list 175 ; however, additional or alternative information may be used to represent one or more of the buddies, such as an avatar associated with the buddy, that is reduced in size and either still or animated.
  • the representation 180 a includes the screen name and avatar of the instant message recipient named SuperBuddyFan 1 .
  • the representations 180 a - 180 g may provide connectivity information to the instant message sender about the buddy, such as whether the buddy is online, how long the buddy has been online, whether the buddy is away, or whether the buddy is using a mobile device.
  • Buddies may be grouped by an instant message sender into one or more user-defined or pre-selected groupings (“groups”).
  • groups the instant message buddy list window 170 has three groups, Buddies 182 , Co-Workers 184 , and Family 186 .
  • SuperBuddyFan 1 185 a belongs to the Buddies group 182
  • ChattingChuck 185 c belongs to the Co-Workers group 184 .
  • the representation of the buddy in the buddy list is displayed under the name or representation of the buddy group to which the buddy belongs.
  • at least potential instant messaging recipients 180 a - 180 g are online.
  • the representation of the buddy in the buddy list may not be displayed under the group with which it is associated, but it may instead be displayed with representations of buddies from other groups under the heading Offline 188 . All buddies included in the list 175 are displayed either under one of the groups 182 , 184 , or 186 , or under the heading Offline 188 .
  • each of the sender avatar 135 and the recipient avatar 115 is a graphical image that represents a user in an instant message communications session.
  • the sender projects the sender avatar 135 for self-expression
  • the recipient projects the recipient avatar 115 also for self-expression.
  • each of the animation avatars 135 or 115 is an avatar that only includes a graphical image of a face, which may be referred to as a facial avatar or a head avatar.
  • an avatar may include additional body components.
  • a Thanksgiving turkey avatar may include an image of a whole turkey, including a head, a neck, a body and feathers.
  • the sender avatar 135 may be animated in response to an instant message sent to the instant message recipient, and the recipient avatar 115 may be animated in response to an instant message sent by the instant message recipient.
  • the text of an instant message sent by the sender may trigger an animation of the sender avatar 135
  • the text of an instant messages sent by the instant message recipient to the sender may trigger an animation of the recipient avatar 115 .
  • the text of a message to be sent is specified by the sender in the message specification text box 145 .
  • the text entered in the message specification text box 145 is sent to the recipient when the sender activates the send button 160 .
  • the instant message application searches the text of the message for animation triggers.
  • an animation trigger is identified, the sender avatar 135 is animated with an animation that is associated with the identified trigger. This process is described more fully later.
  • the text of a message sent by the instant message recipient and received by the sender is searched for animation triggers and, when found, the recipient avatar 115 is animated with an animation associated with the identified trigger.
  • the text of a message may include a character string “LOL,” which is an acronym that stands for “laughing out loud.”
  • the character string “LOL” may trigger an animation in the sender avatar 135 or the recipient avatar 115 such that the sender avatar 135 or the recipient avatar 115 appears to be laughing.
  • the sender avatar 135 may be animated in response to an instant message sent from the instant message recipient, and the recipient avatar 115 may be animated in response to a message sent from the instant message sender.
  • the text of an instant message sent by the sender may trigger an animation of the recipient avatar 115
  • the text of an instant messages sent by the instant message recipient to the sender may trigger an animation of the sender avatar 135 .
  • the text of a message to be sent is specified by the sender in the message specification text box 145 .
  • the text entered in the message specification text box 145 is sent to the recipient when the sender activates the send button 160 .
  • the instant message application searches the text of the message for animation triggers.
  • an animation trigger is identified, the recipient avatar 115 is animated with an animation that is associated with the identified trigger.
  • the text of a message sent by the instant message recipient and received by the sender is searched for animation triggers and, when found, the sender avatar 135 is animated with an animation associated with the identified trigger.
  • the sender avatar 135 or the recipient avatar 115 may be animated in direct response to a request from the sender or the recipient.
  • Direct animation of the sender avatar 135 or the recipient avatar 115 enables use of the avatars as a means for communicating information between the sender and the recipient without an accompanying instant message.
  • the sender may perform an action that directly causes the sender avatar 135 to be animated, or the recipient may perform an action that directly causes the recipient avatar 115 to be animated.
  • the action may include pressing a button corresponding to the animation to be played or selecting the animation to be played from a list of animations.
  • the sender may be presented with a button that inspires an animation in the sender avatar 135 and that is distinct from the send button 160 .
  • Selecting the button may cause an animation of the sender avatar 135 to be played without performing any other actions, such as sending an instant message specified in the message composition area 145 .
  • the played animation may be chosen at random from the possible animations of the sender avatar 135 , or the played animation may be chosen before the button is selected.
  • An animation in one of the avatars 135 or 115 displayed on the instant messaging user interface 105 may cause an animation in the other avatar.
  • an animation of the recipient avatar 115 may trigger an animation in the sender avatar 135 , and vice versa.
  • the sender avatar 135 may be animated to appear to be crying.
  • the recipient avatar 115 also may be animated to appear to be crying.
  • the recipient avatar 115 may be animated to appear comforting or sympathetic in response to the crying animation of the sender avatar 135 .
  • a sender avatar 135 may be animated to show a kiss and, in response, a recipient avatar 115 may be animated to blush.
  • the recipient avatar 115 may appear to respond to a mood of the sender communicated by the sender avatar 135 .
  • the recipient avatar 115 in response to a frowning or teary animation of the sender avatar 135 , the recipient avatar 115 also may appear sad.
  • the recipient avatar 115 may be animated to try to cheer up the sender avatar 135 , such as by smiling, exhibiting a comical expression, such as sticking its tongue out, or exhibiting a sympathetic expression.
  • An avatar 135 or 115 may be animated in response to a detected idle period of a predetermined duration. For example, after a period of sender inactivity, the sender avatar 135 may be animated to give the appearance that the avatar is sleeping, falling off of the instant messaging interface 105 , or some other activity indicative of inactivity. An avatar 135 or 115 also may progress through a series of animations during a period of sender inactivity. The series of animations may repeat continuously or play only once in response to the detection of an idle period. In one example, the sender avatar 135 may be animated to give the appearance that the avatar is sleeping and then having the avatar appear to fall off the instant messaging user interface 105 after a period of sleeping.
  • Animating an avatar 135 or 115 through a progression of multiple animations representative of a period of sender inactivity may provide entertainment to the sender. This may lead to increased usage of the instant messaging user interface 105 by the sender, which in turn, may lead to an increased market share for the instant message service provider.
  • the sender avatar 135 or the recipient avatar 115 may be animated to reflect the weather at the geographic locations of the sender and the recipient, respectively. For example, if rain is falling at the geographic location of the sender, then the sender avatar 135 may be animated to put on a rain coat or open an umbrella. The wallpaper corresponding to the sender avatar 135 also may include rain drops animated to appear to be failing on the sender avatar 135 .
  • the animation of the sender avatar 135 or the recipient avatar 115 played in response to the weather may be triggered by weather information received on the sender's computer or the recipient's computer, respectively. For example, the weather information may be pushed to the sender's computer by a host system of an instant messaging system being used. If the pushed weather information indicates that it is raining, then an animation of the sender avatar 135 corresponding to rainy weather is played.
  • the avatar may be used to audibly verbalize content other than the text communicated between parties during a communications session. For example, if the text “Hi” appears within a message sent by the sender, the sender avatar 135 may be animated to verbally say “Hello” in response. As another example, when the text “otp” or the text “on the phone” appears within a message sent by the recipient, the recipient avatar 115 may be animated to verbally say “be with you in just a minute” in response. As another example, in response to an idle state, an avatar may audibly try to get the attention of the sender or the recipient.
  • the recipient avatar 115 may audibly say “Hello? You there?” to try to elicit a response from the sender regarding the recipient's question.
  • the sender may mute the recipient avatar 115 or the sender avatar 135 to prevent the recipient avatar 115 or the sender avatar 135 from speaking further.
  • the sender may prefer to mute the recipient avatar 115 to prevent the recipient avatar 115 from speaking.
  • the avatar may appear to be wearing a gag.
  • the voice of an avatar may correspond to the voice of a user associated with the avatar.
  • the characteristics of the user's voice may be extracted from audio samples of the user's voice.
  • the extracted characteristics and the audio samples may be used to create the voice of the avatar.
  • the voice of the avatar need not correspond to the voice of the user and may be any generated or recorded voice.
  • the sender avatar 135 may be used to communicate an aspect of the setting or the environment of the sender.
  • the animation and appearance of the sender avatar 135 may reflect aspects of the time, date or place of the sender or aspects of the circumstances, objects or conditions of the sender.
  • the sender avatar 135 may appear to be dressed in pajamas and have a light turned on to illuminate an otherwise dark portion of the screen on which the avatar is displayed and/or the sender avatar 135 may periodically appear to yawn.
  • the sender avatar 135 When the sender uses the instant messaging user interface 105 during a holiday period, the sender avatar 135 may be dressed in a manner illustrative of the holiday, such as appearing, as Santa Claus during December, a pumpkin near Halloween, or Uncle Sam during early July.
  • the appearance of the sender avatar 135 also may reflect the climate or geographic location of the sender. For example, when rain is falling in the location of the sender, wallpaper corresponding the sender avatar 135 may include falling raindrops and/or the sender avatar 135 may wear a rain hat or appear under an open umbrella. In another example, when the sender is sending instant message from a tropical location, the sender avatar 135 may appear in beach attire.
  • the sender avatar 135 also may communicate an activity being performed by the sender while the sender is using the instant messaging user interface 105 . For example, when the sender is listening to music, the avatar 135 may appear to be wearing headphones. When the sender is working, the sender avatar 135 may be dressed in business attire, such as appearing in a suit and a tie.
  • the appearance of the sender avatar 135 also may communicate the mood or an emotional state of the sender.
  • the sender avatar 135 may communicate a sad state of the sender by frowning or shedding a tear.
  • the appearance of the sender avatar 135 or the recipient avatar 115 may resemble the sender or the recipient, respectively.
  • the appearance of the sender avatar 135 may be such that the sender avatar 135 appears to be of a similar age as the sender.
  • the sender avatar 135 also may appear to age.
  • the appearance of the recipient avatar 115 may be such that the recipient avatar 115 has an appearance similar to that of the recipient.
  • the wallpaper applied to the window portion 120 and/or the wallpaper applied to the window portion 140 may include one or more animated objects.
  • the animated objects may repeat continuously or periodically on a predetermined or random basis a series of animations.
  • the wallpapers applied to the window portions 120 and 140 may be animated to in response to the text of messages sent between the sender and the recipient.
  • the text of an instant message sent by the sender may trigger an animation of the animated objects included in the wallpaper corresponding to the sender avatar 135
  • the text of an instant messages sent by the instant message recipient to the sender may trigger an animation of the animated objects included in the wallpaper corresponding to the recipient avatar 115 .
  • the animated objects included in the wallpapers may be animated to reflect the setting or environment, activity and mood of the recipient and the sender, respectively.
  • An avatar may be used as a mechanism to enable self-expression or additional non-text communication by a user associated with the avatar.
  • the sender avatar 135 is a projection of the sender
  • the recipient avatar 115 is a projection of the recipient.
  • the avatar represents the user in instant messaging communications sessions that involve the user.
  • the personality or emotional state of a sender may be projected or otherwise communicated through the personality of the avatar.
  • Some users may prefer to use an avatar that more accurately represents the user. As such, a user may change the appearance and behavior of an avatar to more accurately reflect the personality of the user.
  • a sender may prefer to use an avatar for self-expression rather than projecting an actual image of the sender. For example, some people may prefer using an avatar to sending a video or photograph of the sender.
  • the animation of an avatar may involve resizing or repositioning the avatar such that the avatar occupies more or different space on the instant message user interface 105 than the original boundary of the avatar.
  • the size of sender avatar 205 has been increased such that the avatar 205 covers a portion of the message instant message composition area 145 and the control 155 .
  • elements of the user interface 100 other than an avatar also may be displayed using additional space or using different space on the user interface 100 .
  • a sender avatar may depict a starfish with an expressive face and may be displayed on wallpaper that includes animated fish. The animated fish included in the wallpaper may be drawn outside the original boundary around the sender avatar 135 and appear to swim outside the original boundary area.
  • a process 300 is illustrated for animating an avatar for self-expression based on the content of an instant message.
  • an avatar representing an instant message sender is animated in response to text sent by the sender.
  • the wallpaper of the avatar also is animated.
  • the process 300 is performed by a processor executing an instant messaging communications program.
  • the text of a message sent to an instant message recipient is searched for an animation trigger and, when a trigger is found, the avatar that represents the instant message sender is animated in a particular manner based on the particular trigger that is found.
  • the wallpaper displayed for the avatar includes an animated object or animated objects.
  • the object or objects may be animated based on the content of the instant message sent or may be animated based on other triggers, including (but not limited to) the passing of a predetermined amount of time, the occurrence of a particular day or time of day, any type of animation of the sender avatar, a particular type of animation of the sender avatar, any type of animation of the recipient avatar, or a particular type of the animation of the recipient avatar. Also, when the sender is inactive for a predetermined duration, the avatar sequentially displays each of multiple animations associated with an idle state.
  • the process 300 begins when an instant message sender who is associated with an avatar starts an instant messaging communications session with an instant message recipient (step 305 ).
  • the sender may select the name of the recipient from a buddy list, such as the buddy list 170 from FIG. 1.
  • the name of the recipient may be entered into a form that enables instant messages to be specified and sent.
  • the sender may start an instant messaging application that may be used to sign on for access to the instant messaging system and specify the recipient as a user of the instant messaging system with which a communications session is to be started. Once the recipient has been specified in this manner, a determination is made as to whether a copy of avatars associated with the sender and the recipient exist on the instant message client system being used by the sender.
  • copies of the avatars are retrieved for use during the instant message communications session.
  • information to render an avatar of the recipient may be retrieved from an instant message host system or the instant message recipient client.
  • a particular avatar may be selected by the sender for use during the instant messaging communications session.
  • the avatar may have been previously identified and associated with the sender.
  • the processor displays a user interface for the instant messaging session including the avatar associated with the sender and wallpaper applied to the user interface over which the avatar is displayed (step 307 ).
  • the avatar may be displayed over, for example, wallpaper applied to a portion of a window in which an instant message interface is displayed.
  • the avatar is displayed over a portion or portions of an instant message interface, such as window portions 120 or 140 and FIG. 1.
  • the wallpaper corresponding to avatar may include an object or objects that are animated during the instant message communications session.
  • the processor receives text of a message entered by the sender to be sent to the instant message recipient (step 310 ) and sends a message corresponding to the entered text to the recipient (step 315 ).
  • the processor compares the text of the message to multiple animation triggers that are associated with the avatar projected by the sender (step 320 ).
  • a trigger may include any letter, number, or symbol that may be typed or otherwise entered using a keyboard or keypad. Multiple triggers may be associated with an animation.
  • FIG. 4 examples 400 of triggers associated with animations 405 a - 405 q of a particular avatar model are shown.
  • Each of the animations 405 a - 405 q has multiple associated triggers 410 a - 410 q .
  • the animation 405 a in which the avatar is made to smile, has associated triggers 410 a .
  • Each of the triggers 410 a includes multiple character strings.
  • triggers 410 a include a “:)” trigger 411 a , a “:-)” trigger 412 a , a “0:-)” trigger 413 a , a “0:)” trigger 414 a , and a “Nice” trigger 415 a .
  • a trigger may be an English word, such as 415 a , or an emoticon, such as 411 a - 414 a .
  • Other examples of a trigger include a particular abbreviation, such as “lol” 411 n , and an English phrase, such as “Oh no” 415 e .
  • the avatar is animated with an animation that is associated with the trigger.
  • the avatar is made to smile.
  • one or more of the triggers associated with an animation is modifiable by a user. For example, a user may associate a new trigger with an animation, such as by adding “Happy” to triggers 410 a to make the avatar smile.
  • a user may delete a trigger associated with an animation (that is, disassociate a trigger from an animation), such as by deleting “Nice” 415 a .
  • a user may change a trigger that is associated with an animation, such as by changing the “wink” trigger 413 b to “winks.”
  • a particular trigger may be associated with only one animation.
  • a particular trigger may be permitted to be associated with multiple animations.
  • only one of the multiple animations may be played in response to a particular trigger.
  • the single animation to be played may be chosen randomly or in a pre-determined manner from the multiple animations.
  • all of the multiple animations may be played serially based on a single trigger.
  • a user may be permitted to delete a particular animation. For example, the user may delete the yell animation 405 g . In such a case, the user may delete some or all of the triggers associated with the yell animation 405 g or may chose to associate some or all of the triggers 410 g with a different animation, such as a smile animation 405 a.
  • the processor determines whether a trigger is included within the message (step 325 ).
  • the processor identifies a type of animation that is associated with the identified trigger (step 330 ). This may be accomplished by using a database table, a list, or a file that associates one or more triggers with a type of animation for the avatar to identify a particular type of animation.
  • Types of animation include, by way of example, a smile 405 a , a wink 405 b , a frown 405 c , an expression with a tongue out 405 d , a shocked expression 410 d , a kiss 405 f , a yell 405 g , a big smile 405 h , a sleeping expression 405 i , a nodding expression 405 j , a sigh 405 k , a sad expression 405 l , a cool expression 405 m , a laugh 405 n , a disappearance 405 o , a smell 405 p , or a negative expression 405 q , all of FIG. 4.
  • the identified type of animation for the avatar is played (step 335 ).
  • the processor may identify and play an animation of at least one wallpaper object based on the match of a trigger with the text of the message sent (step 337 ).
  • the processor monitors the communications activity of the sender for periods of inactivity (step 340 ) to detect when the sender is in an idle state or an idle period of communications activity (step 345 ).
  • the sender may be in an idle state after a period during which no messages were sent.
  • the processor may determine whether the sender has not typed or sent an instant message or otherwise interacted with the instant message communications application for a predetermined amount of time.
  • an idle state may be detected by the processor when the sender has not used the computer system in which the processor operates for a predetermined amount of time.
  • a type of animation associated with the idle state is identified (step 350 ). This may be accomplished by using a database table, list or file that identifies one or more types of animations to play during a detected idle period. The type of animations played during a detected idle state may be the same as or different from the types of animations played based on a trigger in an instant message. The identified type of animation is played (step 355 ). In one implementation, multiple types of animation associated with the idle state may be identified and played. When the processor detects that the sender is no longer idle, such as by receiving an input from the sender, the processor may immediately stop playing the animation event (not shown).
  • a user may select types of animations to be played during an idle period and/or select the order in which the animation are played when multiple animations are played during an idle period.
  • a user may configure or otherwise determine the duration of time during which no messages are sent that constitutes an idle period for the user.
  • the processor may detect a wallpaper object trigger that is different than the trigger used to animate the sender avatar (step 360 ). For example, the processor may detect the passage of a predetermined amount of time. In another example, the processor may detect that the content of the instant message includes a trigger for a wallpaper object animation that is different from the trigger used to animate the sender avatar.
  • Other wallpaper object triggers may include (but are not limited to) the occurrence of a particular day or a particular time of day, the existence of any animations by the sender avatar, the existence of a particular type of animation by the sender avatar, the existence of animations by the recipient avatar, and/or the existence of a particular type of the animation of the recipient avatar.
  • the triggers for the animation of wallpaper objects also may be user-configurable such that a user selects whether a particular type of animation is to be included, any animations are to be played, and triggers for one or more of the wallpaper objects.
  • a trigger for a type of animation of a wallpaper object or objects may be the same as, or different from, one of the triggers associated with animating the avatar.
  • the processor detects a wallpaper object trigger (step 360 )
  • the processor identifies and plays an animation of at least one wallpaper object (step 337 ).
  • step 310 - 335 The process of identifying and playing types of animations during a sent instant message (steps 310 - 335 ) is performed for every instant message that is sent and for every instant message that is received by the processor.
  • the process of identifying and playing types of animation events during periods of inactivity (steps 340 - 355 ) may occur multiple times during the instant messaging communications session. Steps 310 - 355 may be repeated indefinitely until the end of the instant messaging communications session.
  • step 320 - 355 The process of identifying and playing the types of animations that correspond to a sent instant message or that are played during a period of sender inactivity (steps 320 - 355 ) also are performed by the processor of the instant message communications application that received the message. In this manner, the animation of the sender avatar may be viewed by the sender and the recipient of the instant message. Thus, the animation of the avatar conveys information from the sender to the recipient that is not directly included in the instant message.
  • an instant messaging interface 500 may be used by a sender of a speech-based instant messaging system to send and receive instant messages.
  • instant messages are heard rather than read by users.
  • the instant messages may be audio recordings of the users of the speech-based instant messaging system, or the instant messages may include text that is converted into audible speech with a text-to-speech engine. The audio recordings or the audible speech are played by the users.
  • the speech-based instant messaging interface 500 may display an avatar 505 corresponding to a user of the instant messaging system from which speech-based instant messages are received.
  • the avatar 505 may be animated automatically in response to the received instant messages such that the avatar 505 appears to be speaking the contents of the instant message.
  • the recipient may view the animation of the avatar 505 and gather information not directly or explicitly conveyed in the instant message. Depending on the animation played, the recipient may be able to determine, for example, the mood of the sender or whether the sender is being serious or joking.
  • the audio message may be processed in the same or similar manner as a textual instant message is processed with respect to the animation process 300 of FIG. 3.
  • types of animations are triggered by audio triggers included in an instant message.
  • the avatar 505 may appear to be speaking the instant message.
  • the avatar 505 may include animations of mouth movements corresponding to phonemes in human speech to increase the accuracy of the speaking animations.
  • a text-to-speech process may be generate sounds spoken by the avatar 505
  • animations corresponding to phonemes in the text may be generated
  • a lip synchronization process may be used to synchronize the playing of the audio with the lip animation such that the phonemes are heard at the same time that the corresponding animation of the mouth of the avatar 505 is seen.
  • the instant message includes an audio recording
  • animations corresponding to phonemes in the audio recording may be generated, and a lip synchronization used to synchronize the playing of the audio recording with the lip animation.
  • a sender may record an audio portion to be associated with one or more animations of the avatar 505 . The recording then may be played when the corresponding animation of the avatar 505 is played.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates an example process 600 for communicating between instant message clients 602 a and 602 b , through an instant message host system 604 , to animate one avatar in response to an animation played in a different avatar.
  • Each of the users using client 602 a or client 602 b is associated with an avatar that represents and projects the user during the instant message session.
  • the communications between the clients 602 a and 602 b are facilitated by an instant messaging host system 604 .
  • the communications process 600 enables a first client 602 a and a second client 602 b to send and receive communications from each other.
  • the communications are sent through the instant messaging host system 604 .
  • Some or all of the communications may trigger an animation or animations in an avatar associated with the user of the first client 602 a and an animation or animations in an avatar associated with the user of the second client 602 b.
  • An instant messaging communications session is established between the first client 602 a and the second client 602 b in which communications are sent through the instant messaging server host system 604 (step 606 ).
  • the communications session involves a first avatar that represents the user of the first client 602 a and a second avatar that represents the user of the second client 602 b . This may be accomplished, for example, as described previously with respect to step 305 of FIG. 3.
  • both the user of the first client 602 a and the user of the second client 602 b may use a user interface similar to the user interface 100 of FIG. 1 in which the sender avatar and the recipient avatar are displayed on the first client 602 a and on the second client 602 b.
  • a user associated with the first client 602 a enters text of an instant message to be sent to a user of the second client 602 b , which is received by the processor on the client 602 a executing the instant messaging communications application (step 608 ).
  • the entered text may include a trigger for one of the animations from the first avatar model.
  • the processor executing the instant messaging communications application sends the entered text to the second client 602 b in the instant message by way of the host system 604 (step 610 ).
  • the host system 604 receives the message and forwards the message from the first client 602 a to the second client 602 b (step 612 ).
  • the message then is received by the second client 602 b (step 614 ).
  • the second client 602 b Upon receipt of the message, the second client 602 b displays the message in a user interface in which messages from the user of the first client 602 a are displayed.
  • the user interface may be similar to the instant messaging user interface 105 from FIG. 1, in which avatars corresponding to the sender and the recipient are displayed.
  • Both the first client 602 a and the second client 602 b have a copy of the message, and both the first client 602 a and the second client 602 b begin processing the text of the message to determine if the text of the message triggers any animations in the respective copies of the first and second avatar models.
  • the first client 602 a and the second client 602 b may actually process the message substantially concurrently or serially, but both the first client 602 a and the second client 602 b process the message in the same way.
  • the first client 602 a searches the text of the message for animation triggers to identify a type of animation to play (step 616 a ).
  • the first client 602 a identifies an animation having the identified type of animation for a first avatar associated with the user of the first client 602 a (step 618 a ).
  • the first client 602 a plays the identified animation for the first avatar that is associated with the user of the first client 602 a (step 620 a ).
  • the first avatar model is used to identify the animation to be played because the first avatar model is associated with the first client 602 a , which sent the message.
  • the first client 602 a and the second client 602 b use identical copies of the first avatar model to process the message, so the same animation event is seen on the first client 602 a and the second client 602 b.
  • the animation from the first avatar model triggers an animation from the second avatar model.
  • the first client 602 a identifies, based on the identified type of animation played for the first avatar in response to the text trigger, a type of animation to be played for a second avatar that is associated with the user of the second client 602 b (step 622 a ).
  • the first client 602 b plays the identified type of animation for the second avatar (step 624 a ).
  • the first client also may identify a type of animation to be played for wallpaper corresponding to the first avatar and plays the identified wallpaper animation of the first avatar (step 626 a ).
  • the wallpaper of the avatar may include an object or objects that are animated during the instant message communications session.
  • the animation of the object or objects may occur based on, for example, a trigger in an instant message or the passage of a predetermined amount of time.
  • the animation of wallpaper objects also may be user-configurable such that a user selects whether a particular type animation, or any animations, are played, and the triggers for one or more of the wallpaper objects.
  • a trigger for a type of animation of a wallpaper object or objects may be the same as, or different from, one of the triggers associated with animating the avatar.
  • the user of the first client 602 a may not send any additional messages for a period of time.
  • the first client 602 a detects such a period of inactivity (step 628 a ).
  • the first client 602 a identifies and plays an animation of a type associated with a period of inactivity of detected by the first client 602 a (step 630 a ). This may be accomplished by using a database table, list or file that identifies one or more types of animations to play during a detected idle period.
  • the second client 602 b processes the instant message in the same was as the first client 602 a . Specifically, the second client 602 b processes the message with steps 616 b through 630 b , each of which are substantially the same as parallel the message processing steps 616 a through 630 a performed by the first client 602 a .
  • each of the first client 602 a and the second client 602 b have copies of the avatars corresponding to the users of the first client 602 a and the second client 602 b , the same animations that were played on the first client 602 a as a result of executing steps 616 a through 630 a are played on the second client 602 b as a result of executing the similar steps 616 b through 630 b.
  • a text-based message indicates the types of animations that occur.
  • messages with different types of content also may trigger animations of the avatars.
  • characteristics of an audio signal included in an audio-based message may trigger animations from the avatars.
  • a process 700 is used to select and optionally customize an avatar for use with an instant messaging system.
  • An avatar may be customized to reflect a personality to be expressed or another aspect of self-expression of the user associated with the avatar.
  • the process 700 begins when a user selects an avatar from multiple avatars and the selection is received by the processor executing the process 700 (step 705 ). For example, a user may select a particular avatar from multiple avatars such as the avatars illustrated in FIG. 8.
  • Each of the avatars 805 a - 805 r is associated with an avatar model that specifies the appearance of the avatar.
  • Each of the avatars 805 a - 805 r also includes multiple associated animations, each animation identified as being of a particular animation type.
  • the selection may be accomplished, for example, when a user selects one avatar from a group of displayed avatars.
  • the display of the avatars may show multiple avatars in a window, such as by showing a small representation (which in some implementations may be referred to as a “thumbnail”) of each avatar. Additionally or alternatively, the display may be a list of avatar names from which the user selects.
  • FIG. 8 illustrates multiple avatars 805 a - 805 r .
  • Each avatar 805 a - 805 r includes an appearance, name, and personality description.
  • avatar 805 a has an appearance 810 a , a name 810 b and a personality description 810 c .
  • the appearance of an avatar may represent, by way of example, living, fictional or historical people, sea creatures, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, birds, or animated objects.
  • Some avatars may be represented only with a head, such as avatars 805 a - 805 r .
  • the appearance of the avatar 805 b includes a head of a sheep.
  • the appearance of other avatars may include only a portion or a specific part of a head.
  • the appearance of the avatar 805 l resembles a set of lips.
  • Other avatars may be represented by a body in addition to a head.
  • the appearance of the avatar 805 n includes a full crab body in addition to a head.
  • An avatar may be displayed over wallpaper that is related in subject matter to the avatar.
  • the avatar 805 i is displayed over wallpaper that is indicative of a swamp in which the avatar 805 j lives.
  • Each of the avatars 805 a - 805 r has a base state expression.
  • the avatar 805 f appears to be happy
  • the avatar 805 j appears to be sad
  • the avatar 805 m appears to be angry.
  • Avatars may have other base state expressions, such as scared or bored.
  • the base state expression of an avatar may influence the behavior of the avatar, including the animations and the sounds of the avatar.
  • the avatar 805 f has a happy base state expression and consequently has a generally happy behavior
  • the avatar 805 m has a creepy base state expression and consequently has a generally scary, creepy and spooky demeanor.
  • a happy avatar may have upbeat sounds while an angry avatar may appear to be shouting when a sound is produced.
  • the base state expression of an avatar may be changed as a result of the activities of a user associated with the avatar.
  • the degree of happiness expressed by the avatar may be related to the number of messages sent or received by the user. When the user sends or receives many messages in a predetermined period of time, the avatar may appear happier than when the user sends or receives fewer messages in the predetermined period of time.
  • One of multiple avatars 805 a - 805 r may be chosen by a user of the instant messaging system.
  • Each of the avatars 805 a - 805 r is associated with an appearance, characteristics and behaviors that express a particular type of personality.
  • an avatar 805 f which has appearance characteristics of a dolphin, may be chosen.
  • Each of the avatars 805 a - 805 r is a multi-dimensional character with depth of personality, voice, and visual attributes.
  • an avatar of the avatars 805 a - 805 r is capable of indicating a rich variety of information about the user projecting the avatar.
  • Properties of the avatar enable the communication of physical attributes, emotional attributes, and other types of context information about the user that are not well-suited (or even available) for presentation through the use of two-dimensional icons that are not animated.
  • the avatar may reflect the user's mood, emotions, and personality.
  • the avatar may reflect the location, activities and other context of the user.
  • an avatar named SoccerBuddy (not shown) is associated with an energetic personality.
  • the personality of the SoccerBuddy avatar may be described as energetic, bouncy, confidently enthusiastic, and youthful.
  • the SoccerBuddy avatar's behaviors reflect events in soccer matches.
  • the avatar's yell animation is an “ole, ole, ole” chant
  • his big-smile animation is “gooooooaaaaaallllll”
  • the avatar shows a yellow card.
  • the SoccerBuddy is customizable to represent a specific team.
  • Special features of the SoccerBuddy avatar include cleated feet to represent the avatar's base.
  • the feet act as the base for the avatar.
  • the SoccerBuddy avatar is capable of appearing to move about by pogo-sticking on his feet.
  • the avatar's feet may become large and detach from the SoccerBuddy.
  • the feet are able to be animated to kick a soccer ball around the display.
  • a silent movie avatar is reminiscent of silent film actor in the 1920's and 1930's.
  • a silent movie avatar is depicted using a stove-pipe hat and a handle-bar moustache.
  • the silent movie avatar is not associated with audio. Instead of speaking, the silent movie avatar is replaced by, or displays, placards having text in a manner similar to how speech was conveyed in a silent movie.
  • an avatar may be appropriate to current events or a season.
  • an avatar may represent a team or a player on a team involved in professional or amateur sport.
  • An avatar may represent a football team, a baseball team, or a basketball team, or a particular player of a team.
  • teams engaged in a particular playoff series may be represented.
  • seasonal avatars include a Santa Claus avatar, an Uncle Sam avatar, a Thanksgiving turkey avatar, a Jack-o-Lantern avatar, a Valentine's Day heart avatar, an Easter egg avatar, and an Easter bunny avatar.
  • Animation triggers of the avatar may be modified to customize when various types of animations associated with the avatar are to occur (step 710 ).
  • a user may modify the triggers shown in FIG. 4 to indicate when an avatar is to be animated, as described previously with respect to FIG. 3.
  • the triggers may be augmented to include frequently used words, phrases, or character strings.
  • the triggers also may be modified such that the animations that are played as a result of the triggers are indicative of the personality of the avatar. Modifying the triggers may help to define the personality expressed by the avatar and used for user self-expression.
  • a user also may configure the appearance of an avatar (step 715 ). This also may help define the personality of the avatar, and communicate a self-expressive aspect of the sender.
  • an appearance modification user interface 900 may be used to configure the appearance of an avatar.
  • the appearance modification user interface 900 enables the user to modify multiple characteristics of a head of an avatar. For example, hair, eyes, nose, lips and skin tone of the avatar may be configured with the appearance modification user interface 900 .
  • a hair slider 905 may be used to modify the length of the avatar's hair.
  • the various positions of the hair slider 905 represent different possible lengths of hair for the avatar that correspond to different representations of the hair of the avatar included in the avatar model file associated with the avatar being configured.
  • An eyes slider 910 may be used to modify the color of the avatar's eyes, with each position of the eyes slider 910 representing a different possible color of the avatar's eyes and each color being represented in the avatar model file.
  • a nose slider 915 may be used to modify the appearance of the avatar's nose, with each position of the nose slider 915 representing a different possible appearance of the avatar's nose and each possible appearance being represented in the avatar model file.
  • a lips slider 920 may be used to modify the appearance of the avatar's lips, with each position of the lips slider 920 representing a different possible appearance of the avatar's lips and associated with a different lip representation in the avatar model file.
  • the avatar's skin tone also may be modified with a skin tone slider 925 .
  • Each of the possible positions of the skin tone slider 925 represents a possible skin tone for the avatar with each being represented in the avatar model file.
  • the appearance of the avatar that is created as a result of using the sliders 905 - 925 may be previewed in an avatar viewer 930 .
  • the values chosen with the sliders 905 - 925 are reflected in the avatar illustrated in the avatar viewer 930 .
  • the avatar viewer 930 may be updated as each of the sliders 905 - 925 is moved such that the changes made to the avatar's appearance are immediately visible.
  • the avatar viewer 930 may be updated once after all of the sliders 905 - 925 have been used.
  • a rotation slider 935 enables the rotation of the avatar illustrated in the avatar viewer 930 .
  • the avatar may be rotated about an axis by a number of degrees chosen on the rotation slider 935 relative to an unrotated orientation of the avatar.
  • the axis extends vertically through the center of the avatar's head and the unrotated orientation of the avatar is when the avatar is facing directly forward.
  • Rotating the avatar's head with the rotation slider 930 enables viewing of all sides of the avatar to illustrate the changes to the avatar's appearance made with the sliders 905 - 925 .
  • the avatar viewer 930 may be updated as the rotation slider 930 is moved such that changes in the orientation of the avatar may be immediately visible.
  • the appearance modification user interface 900 also includes a hair tool button 940 , a skin tool button 945 , and a props tool button 950 .
  • Selecting the hair tool button 940 displays a tool for modifying various characteristics of the avatar's hair.
  • the tool displayed as a result of selecting the hair tool button 940 may enable changes to, for example, the length, color, cut, and comb of the avatar's hair.
  • the changes made to the avatar's hair with the tool displayed as a result of selecting the hair tool button 940 are reflected in the illustration of the avatar in the avatar viewer 930 .
  • selecting a skin tool button 945 displays a tool for modifying various aspects of the avatar's skin.
  • the tool displayed as a result of selecting the skin tool button 945 may enable, for example, changing the color of the avatar's skin, giving the avatar a tan, giving the avatar tattoos, or changing the weathering of the avatar's skin to give appearances of the age represented by the avatar.
  • the changes made to the avatar's skin with the tool displayed as a result of selecting the skin tool button 945 are reflected in the illustration of the avatar in the avatar viewer 930 .
  • selecting the props tool button 950 displays a tool for associating one or more props with the avatar.
  • the avatar may be given eyeglasses, earrings, hats, or other objects that may be worn by, or displayed on or near, the avatar through use of the props tool.
  • the props given to the avatar with the tool displayed as a result of selecting the props tool button 950 are shown in the illustration of the avatar in the avatar viewer 930 .
  • all of the props that may be associated with the avatar are included in the avatar model file. The props controls whether each of the props is made visible when the avatar is displayed.
  • a prop may be created using and rendered by two-dimensional animation techniques. The rendering of the prop is synchronized with animations for the three-dimensional avatar. Props may be generated and associated with an avatar after the avatar is initially created.
  • the user may accept the changes by selecting a publish button 955 . Selecting the publish button 955 saves the changes made to the avatar's appearance.
  • the other users are sent updated copies of the avatar that reflect the changes made by the user to the avatar.
  • the copies of the avatar may be updated so that all copies of the avatar have the same appearance such that there is consistency among the avatars used to send and receive out-of-band communications.
  • the appearance modification user interface 900 may be used by the user to change only copies of the avatar corresponding to the user.
  • the user is prevented from making changes to other avatars corresponding to other users that may be overwritten he user is sent updated copies of the other avatars because the other users made changes to the other avatars. Preventing the user from modifying the other avatars ensures that all copies of the avatars are identical.
  • the avatar illustrated in the avatar viewer 930 may have an appearance that does not include one of hair, eyes, a nose, lips, or skin tone that are modified with the sliders 905 - 925 .
  • the appearance of the avatar 805 l from FIG. 8 does not include hair, eyes, a nose, or skin tone.
  • the appearance modification user interface 900 may omit the sliders 905 - 925 and instead include sliders to control other aspects of the appearance of the avatar.
  • the appearance modification user interface 900 may include a teeth slider when the appearance of the avatar 805 l is being modified.
  • the interface 900 may be customized based on the avatar selected, to enable appropriate and relevant visual enhancements thereto.
  • a configurable facial feature of an avatar may be created using blend shapes of the animation model corresponding to the avatar.
  • a blend shape defines a portion of the avatar that may be animated.
  • a blend shape may include a mesh percentage that may be modified to cause a corresponding modification in the facial feature.
  • a user may be able to configure a facial feature of an avatar by using a slider or other type of control to modify the mesh percentage of the blend shapes associated with the facial feature being configured.
  • the color, texture, and particles of the avatar may be modified. More particularly, the color or shading of the avatar may be changed.
  • the texture applied to avatar may be changed to age or weather the skin of the avatar.
  • the width, length, texture, and color of particles of the avatar may be customized.
  • particles of the avatar used to portray hair or facial hair, such as a beard may be modified to show hair or beard growth in the avatar.
  • wallpaper over which the avatar is illustrated and an animation for objects in the wallpaper may be chosen (step 720 ). This may be accomplished by, for example, choosing wallpaper from a set of possible wallpapers.
  • the wallpapers may include animated objects, or the user may choose objects and animations for the chosen objects to be added to the chosen wallpaper.
  • a trading card that includes an image of the avatar, a description of the avatar may be created (step 725 ).
  • the trading card also may include a description of the user associated with the avatar.
  • the trading card may be shared with other users of the instant messaging system to inform the other users of the avatar associated with the user.
  • FIG. 10 one example of a trading card is depicted.
  • the front side 1045 of the trading card shows the avatar 1046 .
  • the animations of the avatar may be played by selecting the animations control 1047 .
  • the back side 1050 of the trading card includes descriptive information 1051 about the avatar, including the avatar's name, date of birth, city, species, likes, dislikes, hobbies, and aspirations.
  • both the front side 1045 and the back side 1050 of the trading card is shown. In some implementations, only one side 1045 or 1050 of the trading card is able to be displayed at one time.
  • a user may be able to control the side of the trading card that is displayed by using one of the flip controls 1048 or 1052 .
  • a store from which accessories for the avatar 1046 illustrated in the trading card may be accessed by selecting a shopping control 1049 .
  • an avatar also may be exported for use in another application (step 730 ).
  • an avatar may be used by an application other than a messaging application.
  • an avatar may be displayed as part of a user's customized home page of the user's access provider, such as an Internet service provider.
  • An instant message sender may drag-and-drop an avatar to the user's customized home page such that the avatar is viewable by the user corresponding to the avatar.
  • the avatar may be used in an application in which the avatar is viewable by anyone.
  • An instant message sender may drag-and-drop the sender's avatar to the sender's blog or another type of publicly-accessible online journal.
  • the user may repeat one or more of the steps in process 700 until the user is satisfied with the appearance and behavior of the avatar.
  • the avatar is saved and made available for use in an instant messaging communications session.
  • the avatar settings user interface 1000 includes a personality section 1002 . Selecting a personality tab 1010 displays a personality section of the avatar settings interface 1000 for modifying the behavior of the one or more avatars.
  • the avatar settings user interface 1000 may be used with the process 700 of FIG. 7 to choose the wallpaper of an avatar and/or to create a trading card for an avatar.
  • the personality section 1002 of the avatar settings interface 1000 includes an avatar list 1015 including the one or more various avatars corresponding to the user of the instant messaging system.
  • Each of the one or more avatars may be specified to have a distinct personality for use while communicating with a specific person or in a specific situation.
  • an avatar may change appearance or behavior depending on the person with which the user interacts.
  • an avatar may be created with a personality that is appropriate for business communications, and another avatar may be created with a personality that is appropriate for communications with family members.
  • Each of the avatars may be presented in the list with a name as well as a small illustration of each avatar's appearance. Selection of an avatar from the avatar list 1015 enables the specification of the behavior of the selected avatar.
  • the avatar 1020 which is chosen to be the user's default avatar, has been selected from the avatar list 1015 , so the behavior of the avatar 1020 may be specified.
  • Names of the avatars included in the avatar list may be changed through selection of a rename button 1025 . Selecting the rename button displays a tool for changing the name of an avatar selected from the avatar list 1015 .
  • an avatar may be designated as a default avatar by selecting a default button 1030 after selecting the avatar from the avatar list 1015 .
  • Avatars may be deleted by selecting a delete button 1035 after selecting the avatar from the avatar list 1015 .
  • a notification is displayed before the avatar is deleted from the avatar list 1015 .
  • Avatars also may be created by selecting a create button 1040 . When the create button 1040 is pressed, a new entry is added to the avatar list 1015 . The entry may be selected and modified in the same way as other avatars in the avatar list 1015 .
  • the behavior of the avatar is summarized in a card front 1045 and a card back 1050 displayed on the personality section.
  • the card front 1045 includes an illustration of the avatar and wallpaper over which the avatar 1020 is illustrated.
  • the card front 1045 also includes a shopping control 1049 to a means for purchasing props for the selected avatar 1020 .
  • the card back 1050 includes information describing the selected avatar 1020 and a user of the selected avatar. The description may include a name, a birth date, a location, as well as other identifying and descriptive information for the avatar and the user of the avatar.
  • the card back 1050 also may include an illustration of the selected avatar 1020 as well as the wallpaper over which the avatar 1020 is illustrated.
  • the trading card created as part of the avatar customization process 700 includes the card front 1045 and the card back 1050 automatically generated by the avatar settings interface 1000 .
  • the personality section 1002 of the avatar settings interface 1000 may include multiple links 1055 - 1070 to tools for modifying other aspects of the selected avatar's 1020 behavior.
  • an avatar link 1055 may lead to a tool for modifying the appearance of the selected avatar 1020 .
  • selecting the avatar link 1055 may display the appearance modification user interface 900 from FIG. 9.
  • the avatar link 1055 may display a tool for substituting or otherwise selecting the selected avatar 1020 .
  • the avatar link 1055 may allow the appearance of the avatar to be changed to a different species.
  • the tool may allow the appearance of the avatar 1020 to be changed from that of a dog to that of a cat.
  • a wallpaper link 1060 may be selected to display a tool for choosing the wallpaper over which the selected avatar 1020 is drawn.
  • the wallpaper may be animated.
  • a sound link 1065 may be selected to display a tool with which the sounds made by the avatar 1020 may be modified.
  • the sounds may be played when the avatar is animated, or at other times, to get the attention of the user.
  • An emoticon link 1070 may be selected to display a tool for specifying emoticons that are available when communicating with the selected avatar 1020 .
  • Emoticons are two-dimensional non-animated images that are sent when certain triggers are included in the text of an instant message. Changes made using the tools that are accessible through the links 1055 - 1070 may be reflected in the card front 1045 and the card back 1050 . After all desired changes have been made to the avatars included in the avatar list 1015 , the avatar settings interface 1000 may be dismissed by selecting a close button 1075 .
  • Each self-expression item is used to represent the instant message sender or a characteristic or preference of the instant message sender, and may include user-selectable binary objects.
  • the self-expression items may be made perceivable by a potential instant message recipient (“instant message recipient”) before, during, or after the initiation of communications by a potential instant message sender (“instant message sender”).
  • self-expression items may include an avatar, images, such as wallpaper, that are applied in a location having a contextual placement on a user interface.
  • the contextual placement typically indicates an association with the user represented by the self-expression item.
  • the wallpaper may be applied in an area where messages from the instant message sender are displayed, or in an area around a dialog area on a user interface.
  • Self-expression items also include sounds, animation, video clips, and emoticons (e.g., smileys).
  • the personality may also include a set of features or functionality associated with the personality. For example, features such as encrypted transmission, instant message conversation logging, and forwarding of instant messages to an alternative communication system may be enabled for a given personality.
  • Users may assign personalities to be projected when conversing with other users, either in advance of or “on-the-fly” during a communication session. This allows the user to project different personalities to different people on-line.
  • users may save one or more personalities (e.g., where each personality typically includes groups of instant messaging self-expression items such as, for example avatars, Buddy Sounds, Buddy Wallpaper, and Smileys, and/or a set of features and functionalities) and they may name those personalities to enable their invocation, they may associate each of different personalities with different users with whom they communicate or groups of such users so as to automatically display an appropriate/selected personality during communications with such other users or groups, or they may establish each of different personalities during this process of creating, adding or customizing lists or groups of users or the individual users themselves.
  • personalities e.g., where each personality typically includes groups of instant messaging self-expression items such as, for example avatars, Buddy Sounds, Buddy Wallpaper, and Smileys, and/or a set of features and functionalities
  • the personalities may be projected to others in interactive online environments (e.g., Instant Messaging and Chat) according the assignments made by the user.
  • personalities may be assigned, established and/or associated with other settings, such that a particular personality may be projected based on time-of-day, geographic or virtual location, or even characteristics or attributes of each (e.g., cold personality for winter in Colorado or chatting personality while participating in a chat room).
  • an instant message sender may have multiple online personas for use in an instant message communications session. Each online persona is associated with an avatar representing the particular online persona of the instant message sender. In many cases, each online persona of a particular instant message sender is associated with a different avatar. This need not be necessarily so. Moreover, even when two or more online personas of a particular instant message sender include the same avatar, the appearance or behavior of the avatar may be different for each of the online personas.
  • a starfish avatar may be associated with two online personas of a particular instant message sender. The starfish avatar that is associated with one online persona may have different animations than the other starfish avatar that is associated with the other online persona. Even when both of the starfish avatars include the same animations, one of the starfish avatars may be animated to display an animation of a particular type based on different triggers than the same animation that is displayed for the other of the starfish avatars.
  • FIG. 11A shows relationships between online personas, avatars, avatar behaviors and avatar appearances.
  • FIG. 11A shows online personas 1102 a - 1102 e and avatars 1104 a - 1104 d that are associated with the online personas 1102 a - 1102 e .
  • Each of the avatars 1104 a - 1104 d includes an appearance 1106 a - 1106 c and a behavior 1108 a - 1108 d .
  • the avatar 1104 a includes an appearance 1106 a and a behavior 1108 a ; the avatar 1104 b includes an appearance 1106 b and a behavior 1108 b ; the avatar 1104 c includes the appearance 1106 c and a behavior 1108 c ; and the avatar 1104 d includes an appearance 1106 c and a behavior 1108 d .
  • the avatars 1104 c and 1104 d are similar in that both include the appearance 1106 c . However, the avatars 1104 c and 1104 d differ in that the avatar 1104 c includes the behavior 1108 c while the avatar 1104 d includes the behavior 1108 d.
  • Each of the online personas 1102 a - 1102 e is associated with one of the avatars 1104 a - 1104 d . More particularly, the online persona 1102 a is associated with the avatar 1104 a ; the online persona 1102 b is associated with the avatar 1104 b ; the online persona 1102 c also is associated with the avatar 1104 b the online persona 1102 d is associated with the avatar 1104 c ; and the online persona 1102 e is associated with the avatar 1104 d . As illustrated by the online persona 1102 a that is associated with the avatar 1104 a , an online persona may be associated with an avatar that is not also associated with a different online persona.
  • Multiple online personas may use the same avatar. This is illustrated by the online personas 1102 b and 1102 c that are both associated with the avatar 1104 b . In this case, the appearance and behavior exhibited by avatar 1104 b is the same for both of the online personas 1102 b and 1102 c . In some cases, multiple online personas may use similar avatars that have the same appearance by which exhibit different behavior, as illustrated by online personas 1102 d and 1102 e . The online personas 1102 d and 1102 e are associated with similar avatars 1104 c and 1104 d that have the same appearance 1106 c . The avatars 1102 d and 1102 e , however, exhibit different behavior 1108 c and 1108 d , respectively.
  • the instant message sender may forbid a certain personality to be shown to designate instant message recipients and/or groups. For example, if the instant message sender wants to ensure that the “Casual” personality is not accidentally displayed to the boss or to co-workers, the instant message sender may prohibit the display of the “Casual” personality to the boss on an individual basis, and may prohibit the display of the “Casual” personality to the “Co-workers” group on a group basis. An appropriate user interface may be provided to assist the instant message sender in making such a selection.
  • the instant message sender may be provided an option to “lock” a personality to an instant message recipient or a group of instant message recipients to guard against accidental or unintended personality switching and/or augmenting.
  • the instant message sender may choose to lock the “Work” personality to the boss on an individual basis, or to lock the “Work” personality to the “Co-workers” group on a group basis.
  • the Casual personality will not be applied to a locked personality.
  • FIG. 11B shows an exemplary process 1100 to enable an instant message sender to select an online persona to be made perceivable to an instant message recipient.
  • the selected online persona includes an avatar representing the online persona of the instant message sender.
  • the process 1100 generally involves selecting and projecting an online persona that includes an avatar representing the sender.
  • the instant message sender creates or modifies one or more online personalities, including an avatar representing the sender (step 1105 ).
  • the online personalities may be created or modified with, for example, the avatar settings user interface 1000 of FIG. 10.
  • Creating an online persona generally involves the instant message sender selecting one or more self-expression items and/or features and functionalities to be displayed to a certain instant message recipient or group of instant message recipients.
  • a user interface may be provided to assist the instant message sender in making such a selection, as illustrated in FIG. 12.
  • FIG. 12 shows a chooser user interface 1200 that enables the instant message sender to select among available personalities 1205 , 1210 , 1215 , 1220 , 1225 , 1230 , 1235 , 1240 , 1245 , 1250 , and 1255 .
  • the user interface 1200 also has a control 1260 to enable the instant message sender to “snag” the personality of another user, and a control 1265 to review the personality settings currently selected by the instant message sender.
  • the user may change the personality, including the avatar, being projected to the instant message recipient before, during, or after the instant message conversation with the recipient.
  • the selection of a personality also may occur automatically without sender intervention. For example, an automatic determination may be made that the sender is sending instant messages from work. In such a case, a personality to be used at work may be selected automatically and used for all communications. As another example, an automatic determination may be made that the sender is sending instant messages from home, and a personality to be used at home may be selected automatically and used for all communications. In such an implementation, the sender is not able to control which personality is selected for use. In other implementations, automatic selection of a personality may be used in conjunction with sender selection of a personality, in which case the personality automatically selected may act as a default that may be changed by the sender.
  • FIG. 13 shows a series 1300 of exemplary user interfaces for enabling an instant message sender to create and store a personality, and/or select various aspects of the personality such as avatars, buddy wallpaper, buddy sounds, and smileys.
  • user interface 1305 enables an instant message sender to select a set of one or more self-expression items and save the set of self-expression items as a personality.
  • the user interface 1305 also enables an instant message sender to review and make changes to an instant message personality.
  • the user interface 1305 enables an instant message sender to choose an avatar 1310 (here, referred to as a SuperBuddy), buddy wallpaper 1315 , emoticons 1320 (here, referred to as Smileys), and buddy sounds 1325 .
  • avatar 1310 here, referred to as a SuperBuddy
  • buddy wallpaper 1315 here, referred to as a SuperBuddy
  • emoticons 1320 here, referred to as Smileys
  • buddy sounds 1325 buddy sounds
  • a set of controls 1340 is provided to enable the instant message sender to preview 1340 a the profile and to save 1340 b these selected self-expression items as a personality.
  • the instant message sender is able to name and save the personality 1345 and then is able to apply the personality 1350 to one or more individual instant message recipients or one or more groups of instant message recipients.
  • a management area 1350 a is provided to enable the instant message sender to delete, save, or rename various instant message personalities. In choosing the self-expression items, other interfaces such as user interface 1355 may be displayed to enable the instant message sender to select the particular self-expression items.
  • the user interface 1355 includes a set of themes 1360 for avatars which enables an instant message sender to select a particular theme 1365 and choose a particular avatar 1370 in the selected theme.
  • a set of controls 1375 is provided to assist the instant message sender in making the selection of self-expression items.
  • an instant message sender may be enabled to choose a predetermined theme, for example, by using a user interface 1380 .
  • the instant message sender may select various categories 1385 of pre-selected themes and upon selecting a particular category 1390 , a set of default pre-selected, self-expression items is displayed, 1390 a , 1390 b , 1390 c , 1390 d , 1390 e , and 1390 f .
  • the set may be unchangeable or the instant message sender may be able to individually change any of the pre-selected self-expression items in the set.
  • a control section 1395 is also provided to enable the instant message sender to select the themes.
  • the features or functionality of the instant message interface may vary based upon user-selected or pre-selected options for the personality selected or currently in use.
  • the features or functionality may be transparent to the instant message sender.
  • the outgoing instant messages may be encrypted, and a copy may be recorded in a log, or a copy may be forwarded to a designated contact such as an administrative assistant.
  • a warning may be provided to an instant message recipient that the instant message conversation is being recorded or viewed by others, as appropriate to the situation.
  • the non-professional “Casual” personality is selected, the outgoing instant messages may not be encrypted and no copy is recorded or forwarded.
  • the features and functionality associated with the personality would be transparent to the instant message sender, and may be based upon one or more pre-selected profiles types when setting up the personality.
  • the instant message sender may be asked to choose from a group of personality types such as professional, management, informal, vacation, offbeat, etc.
  • the “Work” personality may have been be set up as a “professional” personality type and the “Casual” personality may have been set up as an “informal” personality type.
  • the instant message sender may individually select the features and functionalities associated with the personality.
  • the personality is then stored (step 1110 ).
  • the personality may be stored on the instant message sender system, on the instant message host system, or on a different host system such as a host system of an authorized partner or access provider.
  • the instant message sender assigns a personality to be projected during future instant message sessions or when engaged in future instant message conversations with an instant message recipient (step 1115 ).
  • the instant message sender may wish to display different personalities to different instant message recipients and/or groups in the buddy list.
  • the instant message sender may use a user interface to assign personalization items to personalities on at least a per-buddy group basis. For example, an instant message sender may assign a global avatar to all personalities, but assign different buddy sounds on a per-group basis to other personalities (e.g. work, family, friends), and assign buddy wallpaper and smileys on an individual basis to individual personalities corresponding to particular instant message recipients within a group.
  • the instant message sender may assign other personality attributes based upon the occurrence of certain predetermined events or triggers. For example, certain potential instant message recipients may be designated to see certain aspects of the Rainy Day personality if the weather indicates rain at the geographic location of the instant message sender. Default priority rules may be implemented to resolve conflicts, or the user may select priority rules to resolve conflicts among personalities being projected or among self-expression items being projected for an amalgamated personality.
  • a set of default priority rules may resolve conflicts among assigned personalities by assigning the highest priority to personalities and self-expression items of personalities assigned on an individual basis, assigning the next highest priority to assignments of personalities and personalization items made on a group basis, and assigning the lowest priority to assignments of personalities and personalization items made on a global basis.
  • the user may be given the option to override these default priority rules and assign different priority rules for resolving conflicts.
  • an instant message session between the instant message sender and the instant message recipient is initiated (step 1120 ).
  • the instant message session may be initiated by either the instant message sender or the instant message recipient.
  • An instant message user interface is rendered to the instant message recipient, configured to project the personality, including the avatar, assigned to the instant message recipient by the instant message sender (step 1125 ), as illustrated, for example, in the user interface 100 in FIG. 1.
  • the personality, including an avatar associated with the personality, chosen by an instant messaging recipient may be made perceivable upon opening of a communication window by the instant message sender for a particular instant message recipient but prior to initiation of communications. This may allow a user to determine whether to initiate communications with instant message recipient. For example, an instant message sender may notice that the instant message recipient is projecting an at-work personality, and the instant message sender may decide to refrain from sending an instant message. This may be particularly true when the avatar of the instant message recipient is displayed on a contact list. On the other hand, rendering the instant message recipient avatar after sending an instant message may result in more efficient communications.
  • the appropriate personality/personalization item set for a buddy is sent to the buddy when the buddy communicates with the instant message sender through the instant messaging client program. For example, in an implementation which supports global personalization items, group personalization items, and personal personalization items, a personal personalization item is sent to the buddy if set, otherwise a group personalization item is sent, if set. If neither a personal nor a group personalization item is set, then the global personalization item is sent. As another example, in an implementation that supports global personalization items and group personalization items, the group personalization item for the group to which the buddy belongs is sent, if set, otherwise the global personalization item is sent. In an implementation that only supports group personalization items, the group personalization item for the group to which the buddy belongs is sent to the buddy.
  • An instant message session between the instant message sender and another instant message recipient also may be initiated (step 1130 ) by either the instant message sender or the second instant message recipient.
  • a second instant message user interface is rendered to the second instant message recipient, configured to project the personality, including the avatar, assigned to the second instant message recipient by the instant message sender (step 1135 ), similar to the user interface illustrated by FIG. 1.
  • the personality may be projected in a similar manner to that described above with respect to step 1125 .
  • the personality and avatar projected to the second instant message recipient may differ from the personality and avatar projected to the first instant message recipient described above in step 1125 .
  • an exemplary process 1400 enables an instant message sender to change a personality assigned to an instant message recipient.
  • a user selection of a new online persona, including an avatar, to be assigned to the instant message recipient is received (step 1405 ).
  • the change may be received through an instant message chooser 1200 , such as that discussed above with respect to FIG. 12, and may include choosing self-expression items and/or features and functionality using such as interface or may include “snagging” an online persona or an avatar of the buddy using such an interface.
  • Snagging an avatar refers to the appropriation by the instant message sender of one or more personalization items, such as the avatar, used by the instant message recipient.
  • all personalization items in the online persona of the instant message recipient are appropriated by the instant message sender when “snagging” an online persona.
  • the updated user interface for that instant message recipient is rendered based on the newly selected personality (step 1410 ).
  • FIG. 15 illustrates an example process 1500 for modifying the appearance, or the behavior, of an avatar associated with an instant message sender to communicate an out-of-band message to an instant message recipient.
  • the process may be performed by an instant messaging system, such as communications systems 1600 , 1700 , and 1800 described with respect to FIGS. 16, 17, and 18 , respectively.
  • An out-of-band message refers to sending a message that communicates context out-of-band—that is, conveying information independent of information conveyed directly through the text of the instant message itself sent to the recipient.
  • the recipient views the appearance and behavior of the avatar to receive information that is not directly or explicitly conveyed in the instant message itself.
  • an out-of-band communication may include information about the sender's setting, environment, activity or mood, which is not communicated and part of a text message exchanged by a sender and a recipient.
  • the process 1500 begins with the instant messaging system monitoring the communications environment and sender's environment for an out-of-band communications indicator (step 1510 ).
  • the indicator may be an indicator of the sender's setting, environment, activity, or mood that is not expressly conveyed in instant messages sent by the sender.
  • the out-of-band indicator may be an indication of time and date of the sender's location, which may be obtained from a clock application associated with the instant messaging system or with the sender's computer.
  • the indicator may be an indication of the sender's physical location.
  • the indicator may be an indication of an indication of weather conditions of the sender's location, which may be obtained from a weather reporting service, such as a web site that provides weather information for geographic locations.
  • the indicator may indicate the activities of the sender that take place at, or near, the time when an instant message is sent.
  • the indicator may determine from the sender's computer other applications that are active at, or near, the time that an instant message is sent.
  • the indicator may detect that the sender is using a media-playing application to play music, so the avatar associated with the sender may appear to be wearing headphones to reflect that the sender is listening to music.
  • the indicator may detect that the sender is working with a calculator application, so the avatar may appear to be wearing glasses to reflect that sender is working.
  • the activities of the sender also may be monitored through use of a camera focused on the sender.
  • Visual information taken from the camera may be used to determine the activities and mood of the sender.
  • the location of points on the face of the sender may be determined from the visual information taken from the camera.
  • the position and motion of the facial points may be reflected in the avatar associated with the sender. Therefore, if the sender were to, for example, smile, then the avatar also smiles.
  • the indicator of the sender's mood also may come from another device that is operable to determine the sender's mood and send an indication of mood to the sender's computer.
  • the sender may be wearing a device that monitors heart rate, and determines the sender's mood from the heart rate.
  • the device may conclude that the sender is agitated or excited when an elevated heart rate is detected.
  • the device may send the indication of the sender's mood to the sender's computer for use with the sender's avatar.
  • the instant messaging system makes a determination as to whether an out-of-band communications indicator has been detected (step 1520 ). When an out-of-band communications indicator is detected, the instant messaging system determines whether the avatar must be modified, customized, or animated to reflect the detected out-of-band communications indicator (step 1530 ); meanwhile or otherwise, the instant messaging system continues to monitor for out-of-band communications indicators (step 1510 ). To determine whether action is required, the instant messaging system may use a data table, list or file that includes out-of-band communications indicators and an associated action to be taken for each out-of-band communications indicator. Action may not be required for each out-of-band communications indicator detected.
  • action may only be required for some out-of-band communications indicators when an indicator has changed from a previous indicator setting.
  • the instant messaging system may periodically monitor the clock application to determine whether the setting associated with the sender is daytime or nighttime. Once the instant messaging system has taken action based on detecting an out-of-band communications indicator having a nighttime setting, the instant messaging system need not take action based on the detection of a subsequent nighttime setting indicator. The instant messaging system only takes action based on the nighttime setting after receiving an intervening out-of-band communications indicator for a daytime setting.
  • step 1540 When action is required (step 1540 ), the appearance and/or behavior of the avatar is modified in response to the out-of-band communications indicator (step 1550 ).
  • an out-of-band communications indicator shows that the sender is sending instant messages at night
  • the appearance of the avatar is modified to be dressed in pajamas.
  • the indicator shows that the sender is sending instant messages during a holiday period
  • the avatar may be dressed in a manner illustrative of the holiday.
  • the avatar may be dressed as Santa Claus during December, a pumpkin near Halloween, or Uncle Sam during early July.
  • the avatar when the out-of-band indicator shows that the sender is at the office, the avatar may be dressed in business attire, such as a suit and a tie.
  • the appearance of the avatar also may reflect the weather or general climate of the geographic location of the sender.
  • the wallpaper of the avatar when the out-of-band communications indicator shows that it is raining at the location of the sender, the wallpaper of the avatar may be modified to include falling raindrops or display an open umbrella and/or the avatar may appear to wear a rain hat.
  • the appearance of the avatar may be changed to show the avatar wearing headphones. Additionally or alternatively, the appearance of the avatar may be changed based on the type of music to which the sender is listening.
  • the indicator indicates that the sender is working (at the sender's work location or at another location)
  • the avatar may appear in business attire, such as wearing a suit and a tie.
  • different out-of-band communications indicators may trigger the same appearance of the avatar.
  • both the out-of-band communications indicator of the sender being located at work and the out-of-band communications indicator of the sender performing a work activity causes the avatar to appear to be wearing a suit and tie.
  • the mood of the sender may be so indicated.
  • the appearance of the avatar may be changed to reflect the indicated mood.
  • the avatar may be modified to reflect the sad state of the sender, such as by animating the avatar to frown or cry.
  • a frazzled, busy or pressed mood may be detected and the avatar animated to communicate such an emotional state.
  • the updated avatar, or an indication that the avatar has been updated is communicated to the recipient (step 1560 ).
  • the updated avatar, or indication that the avatar has been changed is provided in association with the next instant message sent by the sender; however, this is not necessarily so in every implementation.
  • a change in the avatar may be communicated to the recipient independently of the sending of a communication.
  • the change of the avatar appearance may be communicated to each buddy list that includes the sender.
  • the recipient is made able to perceive the updated avatar, the behavior and/or appearance providing an out-of-band communication to the sender.
  • FIG. 16 illustrates a communications system 1600 that includes an instant message sender system 1605 capable of communicating with an instant message host system 1610 through a communication link 1615 .
  • the communications system 1600 also includes an instant message recipient system 1620 capable of communicating with the instant message host system 1610 through the communication link 1615 .
  • a user of the instant message sender system 1605 is capable of exchanging communications with a user of the instant message recipient system 1620 .
  • the communications system 1600 is capable of animating avatars for use in self-expression by an instant message sender.
  • any of the instant message sender system 1605 , the instant message recipient system 1620 , or the instant message host system 1610 may include one or more general-purpose computers, one or more special-purpose computers (e.g., devices specifically programmed to communicate with each other), or a combination of one or more general-purpose computers and one or more special-purpose computers.
  • the instant message sender system 1605 or the instant message recipient system 1620 may be a personal computer or other type of personal computing device, such as a personal digital assistant or a mobile communications device.
  • the instant message sender system 1605 and/or the instant message recipient 1620 may be a mobile telephone that is capable of receiving instant messages.
  • the instant message sender system 1605 , the instant message recipient system 1620 and the instant message host system 1610 may be arranged to operate within or in concert with one or more other systems, such as, for example, one or more LANs (“Local Area Networks”) and/or one or more WANs (“Wide Area Networks”).
  • the communications link 1615 typically includes a delivery network (not shown) that provides direct or indirect communication between the instant message sender system 1605 and the instant message host system 1610 , irrespective of physical separation.
  • Examples of a delivery network include the Internet, the World Wide Web, WANs, LANs, analog or digital wired and wireless telephone networks (e.g., Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), and various implementations of a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)), radio, television, cable, or satellite systems, and other delivery mechanisms for carrying data.
  • the communications link 1615 may include communication pathways (not shown) that enable communications through the one or more delivery networks described above. Each of the communication pathways may include, for example, a wired, wireless, cable or satellite communication pathway.
  • the instant message host system 1610 may support instant message services irrespective of an instant message sender's network or Internet access. Thus, the instant message host system 1610 may allow users to send and receive instant messages, regardless of whether they have access to any particular Internet service provider (ISP).
  • the instant message host system 1610 also may support other services, including, for example, an account management service, a directory service, and a chat service.
  • the instant message host system 1610 has an architecture that enables the devices (e.g., servers) within the instant message host system 1610 to communicate with each other. To transfer data, the instant message host system 1610 employs one or more standard or proprietary instant message protocols.
  • the instant message sender system 1605 To access the instant message host system 1610 to begin an instant message session in the implementation of FIG. 16, the instant message sender system 1605 establishes a connection to the instant message host system 1610 over the communication link 1615 . Once a connection to the instant message host system 1610 has been established, the instant message sender system 1605 may directly or indirectly transmit data to and access content from the instant message host system 1610 .
  • an instant message sender can use an instant message client application located on the instant message sender system 1605 to view whether particular users are online, view whether users may receive instant messages, exchange instant messages with particular instant message recipients, participate in group chat rooms, trade files such as pictures, invitations or documents, find other instant message recipients with similar interests, get customized information such as news and stock quotes, and search the Web.
  • the instant message recipient system 1620 may be similarly manipulated to establish contemporaneous connection with instant message host system 1610 .
  • the instant message sender may view or perceive an avatar and/or other aspects of an online persona associated with the instant message sender prior to engaging in communications with an instant message recipient.
  • an instant message recipient selected personality such as an avatar chosen by the instant message recipient, may be perceivable through the buddy list itself prior to engaging in communications.
  • Other aspects of a selected personality chosen by an instant message recipient may be made perceivable upon opening of a communication window by the instant message sender for a particular instant message recipient but prior to initiation of communications.
  • animations of an avatar associated with the instant message sender only may be viewable in a communication window, such as the user interface 100 of FIG. 1.
  • the instant messages sent between instant message sender system 1605 and instant message recipient system 1620 are routed through the instant message host system 1610 .
  • the instant messages sent between instant message sender system 1605 and instant message recipient system 1620 are routed through a third party server (not shown), and, in some cases, are also routed through the instant message host system 1610 .
  • the instant messages are sent directly between instant message sender system 1605 and instant message recipient system 1620 .
  • the techniques, processes and concepts in this description may be implemented using communications system 1600 .
  • One or more of the processes may be implemented in a client/host context, a standalone or offline client context, or a combination thereof.
  • some functions of one or more of the processes may be performed entirely by the instant message sender system 1605
  • other functions may be performed by host system 1610 , or the collective operation of the instant message sender system 1605 and the host system 1610 .
  • the avatar of an instant message sender may be respectively selected and rendered by the standalone/offline device, and other aspects of the online persona of the instant message sender may be accessed or updated through a remote device in a non-client/host environment such as, for example, a LAN server serving an end user or a mainframe serving a terminal device.
  • a remote device in a non-client/host environment such as, for example, a LAN server serving an end user or a mainframe serving a terminal device.
  • FIG. 17 illustrates a communications system 1700 that includes an instant message sender system 1605 , an instant message host system 1610 , a communication link 1615 , and an instant message recipient 1620 .
  • System 1700 illustrates another possible implementation of the communications system 1600 of FIG. 16 that is used for animating avatars used for self-expression by an instant message sender.
  • the instant message host system 1610 includes a login server 1770 for enabling access by instant message senders and routing communications between the instant message sender system 1605 and other elements of the instant message host system 1610 .
  • the instant message host system 1610 also includes an instant message server 1790 .
  • the instant message sender system 1605 and the instant message recipient system 1620 may include communication software, such as for example, an online service provider client application and/or an instant message client application.
  • the instant message sender system 1605 establishes a connection to the login server 1770 in order to access the instant message host system 1610 and begin an instant message session.
  • the login server 1770 typically determines whether the particular instant message sender is authorized to access the instant message host system 1610 by verifying the instant message sender's identification and password. If the instant message sender is authorized to access the instant message host system 1610 , the login server 1770 usually employs a hashing technique on the instant message sender's screen name to identify a particular instant message server 1790 within the instant message host system 1610 for use during the instant message sender's session.
  • the login server 1770 provides the instant message sender (e.g., instant message sender system 1605 ) with the Internet protocol (“IP”) address of the instant message server 1790 , gives the instant message sender system 1605 an encrypted key, and breaks the connection.
  • the instant message sender system 1605 then uses the IP address to establish a connection to the particular instant message server 1790 through the communications link 1615 , and obtains access to the instant message server 1790 using the encrypted key.
  • the instant message sender system 1605 will be able to establish an open TCP connection to the instant message server 1790 .
  • the instant message recipient system 1620 establishes a connection to the instant message host system 1610 in a similar manner.
  • the instant message host system 1610 also includes a user profile server (not shown) connected to a database (not shown) for storing large amounts of user profile data.
  • the user profile server may be used to enter, retrieve, edit, manipulate, or otherwise process user profile data.
  • an instant message sender's profile data includes, for example, the instant message sender's screen name, buddy list, identified interests, and geographic location.
  • the instant message sender's profile data may also include self-expression items selected by the instant message sender.
  • the instant message sender may enter, edit and/or delete profile data using an installed instant message client application on the instant message sender system 1705 to interact with the user profile server.
  • the instant message sender does not have to reenter or update such information in the event that the instant message sender accesses the instant message host system 1610 using a new or different instant message sender system 1605 . Accordingly, when an instant message sender accesses the instant message host system 1610 , the instant message server can instruct the user profile server to retrieve the instant message sender's profile data from the database and to provide, for example, the instant message sender's self-expression items and buddy list to the instant message server. Alternatively, user profile data may be saved locally on the instant message sender system 1605 .
  • FIG. 18 illustrates another example communications system 1800 capable of exchanging communications between users that project avatars for self-expression.
  • the communications system 1800 includes an instant message sender system 1605 , an instant message host system 1610 , a communications link 1615 and an instant message recipient system 1620 .
  • the host system 1610 includes instant messaging server software 1832 routing communications between the instant message sender system 1605 and the instant message recipient system 1620 .
  • the instant messaging server software 1832 may make use of user profile data 1834 .
  • the user profile data 1834 includes indications of self-expression items selected by an instant message sender.
  • the user profile data 1834 also includes associations 1834 a of avatar models with users (e.g., instant message senders).
  • the user profile data 1834 may be stored, for example, in a database or another type of data collection, such as a series of extensible mark-up language (XML) files.
  • XML extensible mark-up language
  • the some portions of the user profile data 1834 may be stored in a database while other portions, such as associations 1834 a of avatar models with users, may be stored in an XML file.
  • user profile data 1834 appears in the table below.
  • the user profile data includes a screen name to uniquely identify the user for whom the user profile data applies, a password for signing-on to the instant message service, an avatar associated with the user, and an optional online persona.
  • a user may have multiple online personas, each associated with the same or a different avatar.
  • TABLE 1 Screen Name Password Avatar Online Persona Robert_Appleby 5846%JYNG Clam Work Robert_Appleby 5846%JYNG Starfish Casual Susan_Merit 6748#474V Dolphin Bill_Smith JHG7868$0 Starfish Casual Bill_Smith JHG7868$0 Starfish Family Greg_Jones 85775$#59 Frog
  • the host system 1610 also includes an avatar model repository 1835 in which definitions of avatars that may be used in the instant message service are stored.
  • an avatar definition includes an avatar model file, an avatar expression file for storing instructions to control the animation of the avatar, and wallpaper file.
  • the avatar model repository 1835 includes avatar model files 1836 , avatar expression files 1837 and avatar wallpaper files 1838 .
  • the avatar model files 1836 define the appearance and animations of each of the avatars included in the avatar model repository 1835 .
  • Each of the avatar model files 1836 defines the mesh, texture, lighting, sounds, and animations used to render an avatar.
  • the mesh of a model file defines the form of the avatar, and the texture defines the image that covers the mesh.
  • the mesh may be represented as a wire structure composed of a multitude of polygons that may be geometrically transformed to enable the display of an avatar to give the illusion of motion.
  • lighting information of an avatar model file is in the form of a light map that portrays the effect of a light source on the avatar.
  • the avatar model file also includes multiple animation identifiers. Each animation identifier identifies a particular animation that may be played for the avatar. For example, each animation identifier may identify one or more morph targets to describe display changes to transform the mesh of an avatar and display changes in the camera perspective used to display the avatar.
  • an instant message user projects an avatar self-expression
  • facial animations may be desirable for facial animations to use a larger number of blend shapes, which may result in an avatar that, when rendered, may appears more expressive.
  • a blend shape defines a portion of the avatar that may be animated and, in general, the more blend shapes that are defined for an animation model, the more expressive the image rendered from the animation model may appear.
  • information to define an avatar may be stored in multiple avatar files that may be arranged in a hierarchical structure, such as a directory structure.
  • a hierarchical structure such as a directory structure.
  • the association between a user and an avatar may be made through an association of the user with the root file in a directory of model files for the avatar.
  • an avatar model file may include all possible appearances of an avatar, including different features and props that are available for user-customization.
  • user preferences for the appearance of the user's avatar include indications of which portions of the avatar model are to be displayed, and flags or other indications for each optional appearance feature or prop may be set to indicate whether the feature or prop is to be displayed.
  • an avatar model may be configured to display sunglasses, reading glasses, short hair and long hair. When a user configures the avatar to wear sunglasses and have long hair, the sunglasses feature and long hair features are turned on, the reading glasses and short hair features are turned off, and subsequent renderings of the avatar display the avatar having long hair and sunglasses.
  • the avatar model repository 1835 also includes avatar expression files 1837 .
  • Each of the avatar expression files 1837 defines triggers that cause animations in the avatars.
  • each of the avatar expression files 1837 may define the text triggers that cause an of animation when the text trigger is identified in an instant message, as previously described with respect to FIGS. 3 and 4.
  • An avatar expression file also may store associations between out-of-band communication indicators and animations that are played when a particular out-of-band communication indicator is detected.
  • Table 2 One example of a portion of an avatar expression file is depicted in Table 2 below.
  • the association between a particular animation for a particular animation identifier is indirectly determined for a particular trigger or out-of-band communication indicator.
  • a particular trigger or out-of-band communication indicator may be associated with a type of animation (such as a smile, gone away, or sleep), as illustrated in Table 2.
  • a type of animation also may be associated with a particular animation identifier included in a particular avatar model file, as illustrated in Table 3 below. In such a case, to play an animation based on a particular trigger or out-of-band communication indicator, the type of animation is identified, the animation identifier associated with the identified type of animation is determined, and the animation identified by the animation identifier is played.
  • Other computer animation and programming techniques also may be used.
  • each avatar may use the same animation identifier for a particular animation type rather than including the avatar name shown in the table.
  • association of animation types and animation identifiers may be stored separately for each avatar.
  • the avatar expression files 1837 also include information to define the way that an avatar responds to an animation of another avatar.
  • an avatar expression file includes pairs of animation identifiers. One of the animation identifiers in each pair identifies a type of animation that, when the type of animation is played for one avatar, triggers an animation that is identified by the other animation identifier in the pair in another avatar.
  • the avatar expression file may define an animation played for an instant message recipient's avatar in response to an animation played by an instant message sender's avatar.
  • the avatar expression files 1837 may include XML files having elements for defining the text triggers for each of the animations of the corresponding avatar and elements for defining the animations that are played in response to animations seen from other avatars.
  • the avatar model repository 1835 also includes avatar wallpaper files 1838 that define the wallpaper over which an avatar is drawn.
  • the wallpaper may be defined using the same or different type of file structure as the avatar model files.
  • an avatar model file may be defined as an animation model file that is generated and playable using animation software from Viewpoint Corporation of New York, N.Y.
  • the wallpaper files may be in the form of a Macromedia Flash file that is generated and playable using animation software available from Macromedia, Inc. of San Francisco, Calif.
  • the avatar wallpaper files 1838 also may include one or more triggers that are associated with the wallpaper animation.
  • Each of the instant message sender system 1605 and the instant message recipient system 1620 includes an instant messaging communication application 1807 or 1827 that capable of exchanging instant messages over the communications link 1615 with the instant message host system 1610 .
  • the instant messaging communication application 1807 or 1827 also may be referred to as an instant messaging client.
  • Each of the instant message sender system 1605 and the instant message recipient system 1620 also includes avatar data 1808 or 1828 .
  • the avatar data 1808 or 1828 include avatar model files 1808 a or 1828 a , avatar expression files 1808 b or 1828 b , and avatar wallpaper files 1808 c or 1828 c for the avatars that are capable of being rendered by the instant message sender system 1605 or the instant message recipient system 1620 , respectively.
  • the avatar data 1808 or 1828 may be stored in persistent storage, transient storage, or stored using a combination of persistent and transient storage.
  • avatar data 1808 or 1828 When all or some of the avatar data 1808 or 1828 is stored in persistent storage, it may be useful to associate a predetermined date on which some or all of the avatar data 1808 or 1828 is to be deleted from the instant message sender system 1605 or the instant message recipient system 1620 , respectively. In this manner, avatar data may be removed from the instant message sender system 1605 or the instant message recipient system 1620 after the data has resided on the instant message sender system 1605 or 1620 for a predetermined period of time and presumably is no longer needed. This may help reduce the amount of storage space used for instant messaging on the instant message sender system 1605 or the instant message recipient system 1620 .
  • the avatar data 1808 or 1828 is installed on the instant message sender system 1605 or the instant message recipient system 1620 , respectively, with the instant messaging client software installed on the instant message sender system 1605 or the instant message recipient system 1620 .
  • the avatar data 1808 or 1828 is transmitted to the instant message sender system 1605 or the instant message recipient system 1620 , respectively, from the avatar model repository 1835 of the instant messaging host system 1610 .
  • the avatar data 1808 or 1828 is copied from a source unrelated to instant messaging and stored for use as instant messaging avatars on the instant message sender system 1605 or the instant message recipient system 1620 , respectively.
  • the avatar data 1808 or 1828 is sent to the instant message sender system 1605 or the instant message recipient system 1620 , respectively, with or incident to instant messages sent to the instant message sender system 1605 or the instant message recipient system 1620 .
  • the avatar data sent with an instant message corresponds to the instant message sender that sent the message.
  • the avatar expression files 1808 b or 1828 b are used to determine when an avatar is to be rendered on the instant message sender system 1605 or the instant message recipient 1620 , respectively.
  • one of the avatar model files 1808 a is displayed on the two-dimensional display of the instant messaging system 1605 or 1620 by an avatar model player 1809 or 1829 , respectively.
  • the avatar model player 1808 or 1829 is an animation player by Viewpoint Corporation. More particularly, the processor of the instant messaging system 1605 or 1620 calls the avatar model player 1809 or 1829 and identifies an animation included in one of the avatar model files 1808 a or 1828 a . In general, the animation is identified by an animation identifier in the avatar model file. The avatar model player 1809 or 1829 then accesses the avatar model file and plays the identified animation.
  • multiple animations may be played based on a single trigger or out-of-band communications indicator. This may occur, for example, when one avatar reacts to an animation of another avatar that is animated based on a text trigger, as described previously with respect to FIG. 6.
  • an instant message sender projecting a self-expressive avatar uses instant message sender system 1605 to sends a text message to an instant message recipient using instant message recipient system 1620 .
  • the instant message recipient also is projecting a self-expressive avatar.
  • the display of the instant message sender system 1605 shows an instant message user interface, such as user interface 100 of FIG. 1, as does the display of instant message recipient system 1620 .
  • the sender avatar is shown on both the instant message sender system 1605 and the instant message recipient system 1620 , as is the recipient avatar.
  • the instant message sent from instant message sender system includes a text trigger that causes the animation of the sender avatar on the instant message sender system 1605 and the sender avatar on the instant message recipient system 1620 .
  • the recipient avatar is animated, as described previously with respect to FIG. 6.
  • the reactive animation of the recipient avatar occurs in both the recipient avatar displayed on the instant message sender system 1605 and the recipient avatar displayed on the instant message recipient system 1620 .
  • an instant messaging user is permitted to customize one or more of the animation triggers or out-of-band communications indicators for avatar animations, wallpaper displayed for an avatar, triggers or out-of-band communications indicators for animating objects of the wallpaper, and the appearance of the avatar.
  • a copy of an avatar model file, an expression file or a wallpaper file is made and the modifications of the user are stored in the copy of the avatar model file, an expression file or a wallpaper file. The copy that includes the modification is then associated with the user.
  • different versions of the same avatar may be stored and associated with a user. This may enable a user to modify an avatar, use the modified avatar for a period of time, and then return to using a previous version of the avatar that does not include the modification.
  • the avatars from which a user may choose may be limited by the instant message service provider. This may be referred to as a closed implementation or a locked-down implementation.
  • the animations and triggers associated with each avatar within the closed set of avatars may be preconfigured.
  • the user may customize the animations and/or triggers of a chosen avatar. For example, a user may include a favorite video clip as an animation of an avatar, and the avatar may be configured to play the video clip after certain text triggers appear in the messages sent by the user. In other closed implementations, the user is also prevented from adding animations to an avatar.
  • the set of avatars from which a user may choose is not limited by the instant message service provider, and the user may use an avatar other than an avatar provided by the instant message service provider.
  • This may be referred to as an open implementation or an unlocked implementation.
  • an avatar usable in an instant message service may be created by a user using animation software provided by the instant message service provider, off-the-shelf computer animation software, or software tools provided by a third-party that are specialized for the creating avatars compatible with one or more instant message services.
  • an instant message service provider may limit the selection by users who are minors to a set of predetermined avatars provided by the instant message service provider while permitting users who are adults to use an avatar other than an avatar available from the instant message service provider.
  • the avatars from which a user may select may be limited based on a user characteristic, such as age. As illustrated in Table 4 below and using the avatars shown in FIG. 8 only as an example, a user who is under the age of 10 may be limited to one group of avatars. A user who is between 10 and 18 may be limited to a different group of avatars, some of which are the same as the avatars selectable by users under the age of 10. A user who is 18 or older may select from any avatar available from the instant message provider service.
  • Instant messaging programs typically allow instant message senders to communicate in real-time with each other in a variety of ways. For example, many instant messaging programs allow instant message senders to send text as an instant message, to transfer files, and to communicate by voice.
  • instant messaging communication applications include AIM (America Online Instant Messenger), AOL (America Online) Buddy List and Instant Messages which is an aspect of many client communication applications provided by AOL, Yahoo Messenger, MSN Messenger, and ICQ, among others.
  • AIM America Online Instant Messenger
  • AOL America Online Buddy List
  • Instant Messages which is an aspect of many client communication applications provided by AOL, Yahoo Messenger, MSN Messenger, and ICQ, among others.
  • the techniques and concepts may be applied to an animated avatar that acts as an information assistant to convey news, weather, and other information to a user of a computer system or a computing device.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • User Interface Of Digital Computer (AREA)
  • Information Transfer Between Computers (AREA)
  • Processing Or Creating Images (AREA)

Abstract

An avatar representing a user in a communications session may be used to send to another user an out-of-band communication that conveys information independent of information conveyed directly in the text message sent. The out-of-band information may be communicated using a change in the avatar appearance or avatar animation as a communication conduit. By way of example, an out-of-band communication may include information about the sender's setting, environment, activity or mood, which is not explicitly communicated and part of a text message exchanged by a sender and a recipient.

Description

    CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
  • This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/450,663, filed Mar. 3, 2003, and titled “Providing Video, Sound, or Animated Content With Instant Messages,” and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/512,852, filed Oct. 22, 2003, and titled “Providing Video, Sound, or Animated Content With Instant Messages,” both which are incorporated by reference.[0001]
  • TECHNICAL FIELD
  • This description relates to projecting a graphical representation of a communications application operator (hereinafter “sender”) in communications sent in a network of computers. [0002]
  • BACKGROUND
  • Online services may provide users with the ability to send and receive instant messages. Instant messages are private online conversations between two or more people who have access to an instant messaging service, who have installed communications software necessary to access and use the instant messaging service, and who each generally have access to information reflecting the online status of other users. [0003]
  • An instant message sender may send self-expression items to an instant message recipient. Current implementations of instant messaging self-expression enable a user to individually select self-expression settings, such as a Buddy Icon and a Buddy Wallpaper, which settings thereafter project to other users who see or interact with that person online. [0004]
  • SUMMARY
  • In one general aspect, communicating includes graphically representing, with an avatar capable of being animated, a first user in a communication session involving the first user and a second user. A message is communicated between the first user and the second user. The message conveys explicit information from the first user to the second user. Out-of-band information is communicated to the second user using a change in the avatar appearance or avatar animation as a communication conduit. The out-of-band communication includes a communication that is related to a context of the first user and that differs from the information conveyed in the message sent between the first user and the second user. [0005]
  • Implementations may include one or more of the following features. For example, the communication session may be an instant messaging communication session. The avatar may be a facial animation that does not include a body having an ear or a leg or may be a facial animation, including a neck, that does not include a body having an ear or a leg. [0006]
  • The out-of-band information may include information indicating an environmental condition associated with the first user. The environmental condition may include an environmental condition related to weather occurring in a geographic location near the first user. The out-of-band information may indicate a personality characteristic associated with the first user or an emotional state associated with the first user. [0007]
  • The out-of-band information may include information indicating a setting characteristic associated with the first user. The setting characteristic may include a characteristic related to time of day of the first user or a characteristic related to time of year. The time of year may include a holiday or a season that is one of spring, summer, fall or winter. The setting characteristic may include a characteristic associated with a work setting or a recreation setting. The recreation setting may include a beach setting, a tropical setting or a winter sport setting. [0008]
  • The out-of-band information may include information related to a mood of the first user. The mood of the first user may be one of happy, sad or angry. [0009]
  • The out-of-band information may include information associated with an activity of the first user. The activity may be performed by the first user at substantially the same time that the out-of-band message is communicated from the first user to the second user. The activity may be working or listening to music. The out-of-band information may include information conveying that the first user has muted sounds associated with the avatar. [0010]
  • An animation of the avatar to convey the out-of-band information from the first user to the second user may be triggered based on the information conveyed in the message from the first user to the second user. The trigger may include a portion or all of the text of the message. The trigger may include an audio portion of the message. The trigger may include the passing of a predetermined amount of time during which the first user does not communicate a message to the second user or does not use a computing device that is used by the first user to communicate with the second user in the communication session. [0011]
  • The avatar animation used as the communication conduit may include a facial expression of the avatar, a gesture made by a hand or arm of the avatar, movement of a body of the avatar or sounds made by the avatar. At least some of the sounds may include a voice based on a voice of the first user. The avatar animation used as the communication conduit may include a breakout animation that involves displaying avatar outside of normal display space occupied by the avatar. A breakout animation may include telescoping, resizing, or repositioning the avatar. [0012]
  • The first user may be provided with multiple preconfigured avatars having associated preselected animations. The first user may be enabled to select a particular avatar to represent the user in the communications session. The first user may be persistently associated with the selected avatar to represent the first user in subsequent communication sessions. [0013]
  • The first user may be enabled to modify the appearance of the avatar. Enabling the first user to modify the appearance of the avatar may include enabling the first user to use a slide bar to indicate a particular modification of a particular feature of the avatar or enabling the first user to modify appearance of the avatar to reflect a characteristic of the first user. The characteristic of the first user may be one of age, gender, hair color, eye color, or a facial feature. [0014]
  • Enabling the first user to modify the appearance of the avatar may include enabling the first user to modify the appearance of the avatar by adding, changing or deleting a prop displayed with the avatar. A prop may be one of eyeglasses, sunglasses, a hat, or earrings. [0015]
  • The first user may be enabled to modify a trigger used to cause an animation of the avatar. The trigger may include text included in the message sent from the first user to the second user. [0016]
  • The avatar may be animated for use as an information assistant to convey information to the first user. Use of the avatar by an application other than a communications application, including an online journal, may be enabled. [0017]
  • A depiction of the avatar may be displayed in the form that is substantially similar to a trading card. The trading card depiction of the avatar may include characteristics associated with the first user. [0018]
  • Implementations of the techniques discussed above may include a method or process, a system or apparatus, or computer software on a computer-accessible medium. [0019]
  • The details of one or more of the implementations are set forth in the accompanying drawings and description below. Other features will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.[0020]
  • DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
  • FIGS. 1, 2 and [0021] 5 are diagrams of user interfaces for an instant messaging service capable of enabling a user to project an avatar for self-expression.
  • FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a process for animating an avatar based on the content of an instant message. [0022]
  • FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating exemplary animations of an avatar and textual triggers for each animation. [0023]
  • FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary process involving communications between two instant messaging client systems and an instant message host system, whereby an avatar of a user of one of the instant message client systems is animated based on the animation of an avatar of a user of the other of the instant message client systems. [0024]
  • FIG. 7 is a flow chart of a process for selecting and optionally customizing an avatar. [0025]
  • FIG. 8 is a block diagram depicting examples of avatars capable of being projected by a user for self-expression. [0026]
  • FIG. 9 is a diagram of a user interface for customizing the appearance of an avatar. [0027]
  • FIG. 10 is a diagram of a user interface used to present a snapshot description of an avatar. [0028]
  • FIG. 11A is a block diagram illustrating relationships between online personas, avatars, avatar behaviors and avatar appearances. [0029]
  • FIG. 11B is a flow chart of a process for using a different online personality to communicate with each of two instant message recipients. [0030]
  • FIG. 12 is a diagram of a user interface that enables an instant message sender to select among available online personas. [0031]
  • FIG. 13 is a diagram of exemplary user interfaces for enabling an instant message sender to create and store an online persona that includes an avatar for self-expression. [0032]
  • FIG. 14 is a flow chart of a process for enabling a user to change an online persona that includes an avatar for self-expression. [0033]
  • FIG. 15 is a flow chart of a process for using an avatar to communicate an out-of-band message to an instant message recipient. [0034]
  • FIGS. 16, 17 and [0035] 18 are diagrams of exemplary communications systems capable of enabling an instant message user to project an avatar for self-expression.
  • DETAILED DESCRIPTION
  • An avatar representing a user in a communications session may be used to send to another user an out-of-band communication that conveys information independent of information conveyed directly in the text message sent. The out-of-band information may be communicated using a change in the avatar appearance or avatar animation as a communication conduit. By way of example, an out-of-band communication may include information about the sender's setting, environment, activity or mood, which is not explicitly communicated and part of a text message exchanged by a sender and a recipient. [0036]
  • FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary [0037] graphical user interface 100 for an instant messaging service capable of enabling a user to project an avatar for self-expression. The user interface 100 may be viewed by a user who is an instant message sender and whose instant messaging communications program is configured to project an avatar associated with and used as an identifier for the user to one or more other users or user groups (collectively, instant message recipients). In particular, the user IMSender is an instant message sender using the user interface 100. The instant message sender projects a sender avatar 135 in an instant messaging communications session with an instant message recipient SuperBuddyFan1, who projects a recipient avatar 115. A corresponding graphical user interface (not shown) is used by the instant message recipient SuperBuddyFan1. In this manner, the sender avatar 135 is visible in each of the sender's user interface and the recipient's user interface, as is the recipient avatar 115. The instant messaging communications session may be conducted simultaneously, near-simultaneously, or serially.
  • The user interface (UI) [0038] 100 includes an instant message user interface 105 and an instant messaging buddy list window 170.
  • The instant [0039] message user interface 105 has an instant message recipient portion 110 and an instant message sender portion 130. The instant message recipient portion 110 displays the recipient avatar 115 chosen by the instant message recipient with whom the instant message sender is having an instant message conversation. Similarly, the instant message sender portion 130 displays the sender avatar 135 chosen by the instant message sender. The display of the sender avatar 135 in the instant message user interface 105 enables the instant message sender to perceive the avatar being projected to the particular instant message recipient with whom the instant message sender is communicating. The avatars 135 and 115 are personalization items selectable by an instant message user for self-expression.
  • The instant [0040] message user interface 105 includes an instant message composition area 145 for composing instant message messages to be sent to the instant message recipient and for message history text box 125 for displaying a transcript of the instant message communications session with the instant message recipient. Each of the messages sent to, or received from, the instant message recipient are listed in chronological order in the message history text box 125, each with an indication of the user that sent the message as shown at 126. The message history text box 125 optionally may include a time stamp 127 for each of the messages sent.
  • Wallpaper may be applied to portions of the [0041] graphical user interface 100. For example, wallpaper may be applied to window portion 120 that is outside of the message history box 125 or window portion 140 that is outside of the message composition area 145. The recipient avatar 115 is displayed over, or in place of, the wallpaper applied to the window portion 120, and the wallpaper applied to the window portion 120 corresponds to the recipient avatar 115. Likewise, the sender avatar 135 is displayed over, or in place of, the wallpaper applied to the window portion 140 and the wallpaper applied to the window portion 120 corresponds to the sender avatar 135. In some implementations, a box or other type of boundary may be displayed around the avatar, as shown by boundary 157 displayed around the sender avatar 135. A different wallpaper may be applied to window portion 158 inside the boundary 157 than the wallpaper applied to the window portion 140 outside of the message composition area 145 but not within the boundary 157. The wallpaper may appear to be non-uniform and may include objects that are animated. The wallpapers applied to the window portions 120 and 140 may be personalization items selectable by an instant message user for self-expression.
  • The instant [0042] message user interface 105 also includes a set of feature controls 165 and a set of transmission controls 150. The feature controls 165 may control features such as encryption, conversation logging, conversation forwarding to a different communications mode, font size and color control, and spell checking, among others. The set of transmission controls 150 includes a control 160 to trigger sending of the message that was typed into the instant message composition area 145, and a control 155 for modifying the appearance or behavior of the sender avatar 135.
  • The instant message [0043] buddy list window 170 includes an instant message sender-selected list 175 of potential instant messaging recipients (“buddies”) 180 a-180 g. Buddies typically are contacts who are known to the potential instant message sender (here, IMSender). In the list 175, the representations 180 a-180 g include text identifying the screen names of the buddies included in list 175; however, additional or alternative information may be used to represent one or more of the buddies, such as an avatar associated with the buddy, that is reduced in size and either still or animated. For example, the representation 180 a includes the screen name and avatar of the instant message recipient named SuperBuddyFan1. The representations 180 a-180 g may provide connectivity information to the instant message sender about the buddy, such as whether the buddy is online, how long the buddy has been online, whether the buddy is away, or whether the buddy is using a mobile device.
  • Buddies may be grouped by an instant message sender into one or more user-defined or pre-selected groupings (“groups”). As shown, the instant message [0044] buddy list window 170 has three groups, Buddies 182, Co-Workers 184, and Family 186. SuperBuddyFan1 185 a belongs to the Buddies group 182, and ChattingChuck 185 c belongs to the Co-Workers group 184. When a buddy's instant message client program is able to receive communications, the representation of the buddy in the buddy list is displayed under the name or representation of the buddy group to which the buddy belongs. As shown, at least potential instant messaging recipients 180 a-180 g are online. In contrast, when a buddy's instant message client program is not able to receive communications, the representation of the buddy in the buddy list may not be displayed under the group with which it is associated, but it may instead be displayed with representations of buddies from other groups under the heading Offline 188. All buddies included in the list 175 are displayed either under one of the groups 182, 184, or 186, or under the heading Offline 188.
  • As illustrated in FIG. 1, each of the [0045] sender avatar 135 and the recipient avatar 115 is a graphical image that represents a user in an instant message communications session. The sender projects the sender avatar 135 for self-expression, whereas the recipient projects the recipient avatar 115 also for self-expression. Here, each of the animation avatars 135 or 115 is an avatar that only includes a graphical image of a face, which may be referred to as a facial avatar or a head avatar. In other implementations, an avatar may include additional body components. By way of example, a Thanksgiving turkey avatar may include an image of a whole turkey, including a head, a neck, a body and feathers.
  • The [0046] sender avatar 135 may be animated in response to an instant message sent to the instant message recipient, and the recipient avatar 115 may be animated in response to an instant message sent by the instant message recipient. For example, the text of an instant message sent by the sender may trigger an animation of the sender avatar 135, and the text of an instant messages sent by the instant message recipient to the sender may trigger an animation of the recipient avatar 115.
  • More particularly, the text of a message to be sent is specified by the sender in the message [0047] specification text box 145. The text entered in the message specification text box 145 is sent to the recipient when the sender activates the send button 160. When the send button 160 is activated, the instant message application searches the text of the message for animation triggers. When an animation trigger is identified, the sender avatar 135 is animated with an animation that is associated with the identified trigger. This process is described more fully later. In a similar manner, the text of a message sent by the instant message recipient and received by the sender is searched for animation triggers and, when found, the recipient avatar 115 is animated with an animation associated with the identified trigger. By way of example, the text of a message may include a character string “LOL,” which is an acronym that stands for “laughing out loud.” The character string “LOL” may trigger an animation in the sender avatar 135 or the recipient avatar 115 such that the sender avatar 135 or the recipient avatar 115 appears to be laughing.
  • Alternatively or additionally, the [0048] sender avatar 135 may be animated in response to an instant message sent from the instant message recipient, and the recipient avatar 115 may be animated in response to a message sent from the instant message sender. For example, the text of an instant message sent by the sender may trigger an animation of the recipient avatar 115, and the text of an instant messages sent by the instant message recipient to the sender may trigger an animation of the sender avatar 135.
  • More particularly, the text of a message to be sent is specified by the sender in the message [0049] specification text box 145. The text entered in the message specification text box 145 is sent to the recipient when the sender activates the send button 160. When the send button 160 is activated, the instant message application searches the text of the message for animation triggers. When an animation trigger is identified, the recipient avatar 115 is animated with an animation that is associated with the identified trigger. In a similar manner, the text of a message sent by the instant message recipient and received by the sender is searched for animation triggers and, when found, the sender avatar 135 is animated with an animation associated with the identified trigger.
  • In addition, the [0050] sender avatar 135 or the recipient avatar 115 may be animated in direct response to a request from the sender or the recipient. Direct animation of the sender avatar 135 or the recipient avatar 115 enables use of the avatars as a means for communicating information between the sender and the recipient without an accompanying instant message. For example, the sender may perform an action that directly causes the sender avatar 135 to be animated, or the recipient may perform an action that directly causes the recipient avatar 115 to be animated. The action may include pressing a button corresponding to the animation to be played or selecting the animation to be played from a list of animations. For example, the sender may be presented with a button that inspires an animation in the sender avatar 135 and that is distinct from the send button 160. Selecting the button may cause an animation of the sender avatar 135 to be played without performing any other actions, such as sending an instant message specified in the message composition area 145. The played animation may be chosen at random from the possible animations of the sender avatar 135, or the played animation may be chosen before the button is selected.
  • An animation in one of the [0051] avatars 135 or 115 displayed on the instant messaging user interface 105 may cause an animation in the other avatar. For example, an animation of the recipient avatar 115 may trigger an animation in the sender avatar 135, and vice versa. By way of example, the sender avatar 135 may be animated to appear to be crying. In response to the animation of the sender avatar 135, the recipient avatar 115 also may be animated to appear to be crying. Alternatively, the recipient avatar 115 may be animated to appear comforting or sympathetic in response to the crying animation of the sender avatar 135. In another example, a sender avatar 135 may be animated to show a kiss and, in response, a recipient avatar 115 may be animated to blush.
  • The [0052] recipient avatar 115 may appear to respond to a mood of the sender communicated by the sender avatar 135. By way of example, in response to a frowning or teary animation of the sender avatar 135, the recipient avatar 115 also may appear sad. Alternatively, the recipient avatar 115 may be animated to try to cheer up the sender avatar 135, such as by smiling, exhibiting a comical expression, such as sticking its tongue out, or exhibiting a sympathetic expression.
  • An [0053] avatar 135 or 115 may be animated in response to a detected idle period of a predetermined duration. For example, after a period of sender inactivity, the sender avatar 135 may be animated to give the appearance that the avatar is sleeping, falling off of the instant messaging interface 105, or some other activity indicative of inactivity. An avatar 135 or 115 also may progress through a series of animations during a period of sender inactivity. The series of animations may repeat continuously or play only once in response to the detection of an idle period. In one example, the sender avatar 135 may be animated to give the appearance that the avatar is sleeping and then having the avatar appear to fall off the instant messaging user interface 105 after a period of sleeping. Animating an avatar 135 or 115 through a progression of multiple animations representative of a period of sender inactivity may provide entertainment to the sender. This may lead to increased usage of the instant messaging user interface 105 by the sender, which in turn, may lead to an increased market share for the instant message service provider.
  • The [0054] sender avatar 135 or the recipient avatar 115 may be animated to reflect the weather at the geographic locations of the sender and the recipient, respectively. For example, if rain is falling at the geographic location of the sender, then the sender avatar 135 may be animated to put on a rain coat or open an umbrella. The wallpaper corresponding to the sender avatar 135 also may include rain drops animated to appear to be failing on the sender avatar 135. The animation of the sender avatar 135 or the recipient avatar 115 played in response to the weather may be triggered by weather information received on the sender's computer or the recipient's computer, respectively. For example, the weather information may be pushed to the sender's computer by a host system of an instant messaging system being used. If the pushed weather information indicates that it is raining, then an animation of the sender avatar 135 corresponding to rainy weather is played.
  • Furthermore, the avatar may be used to audibly verbalize content other than the text communicated between parties during a communications session. For example, if the text “Hi” appears within a message sent by the sender, the [0055] sender avatar 135 may be animated to verbally say “Hello” in response. As another example, when the text “otp” or the text “on the phone” appears within a message sent by the recipient, the recipient avatar 115 may be animated to verbally say “be with you in just a minute” in response. As another example, in response to an idle state, an avatar may audibly try to get the attention of the sender or the recipient. For example, when the recipient sends a message to the sender that includes a question mark and the sender is determined to be idle, the recipient avatar 115 may audibly say “Hello? You there?” to try to elicit a response from the sender regarding the recipient's question.
  • The sender may mute the [0056] recipient avatar 115 or the sender avatar 135 to prevent the recipient avatar 115 or the sender avatar 135 from speaking further. By way of example, the sender may prefer to mute the recipient avatar 115 to prevent the recipient avatar 115 from speaking. In one implementation, to show that an avatar is muted, the avatar may appear to be wearing a gag.
  • The voice of an avatar may correspond to the voice of a user associated with the avatar. To do so, the characteristics of the user's voice may be extracted from audio samples of the user's voice. The extracted characteristics and the audio samples may be used to create the voice of the avatar. Additionally or alternatively, the voice of the avatar need not correspond to the voice of the user and may be any generated or recorded voice. [0057]
  • The [0058] sender avatar 135 may be used to communicate an aspect of the setting or the environment of the sender. By way of example, the animation and appearance of the sender avatar 135 may reflect aspects of the time, date or place of the sender or aspects of the circumstances, objects or conditions of the sender. For example, when the sender uses the instant messaging user interface 105 at night, the sender avatar 135 may appear to be dressed in pajamas and have a light turned on to illuminate an otherwise dark portion of the screen on which the avatar is displayed and/or the sender avatar 135 may periodically appear to yawn. When the sender uses the instant messaging user interface 105 during a holiday period, the sender avatar 135 may be dressed in a manner illustrative of the holiday, such as appearing, as Santa Claus during December, a pumpkin near Halloween, or Uncle Sam during early July. The appearance of the sender avatar 135 also may reflect the climate or geographic location of the sender. For example, when rain is falling in the location of the sender, wallpaper corresponding the sender avatar 135 may include falling raindrops and/or the sender avatar 135 may wear a rain hat or appear under an open umbrella. In another example, when the sender is sending instant message from a tropical location, the sender avatar 135 may appear in beach attire.
  • The [0059] sender avatar 135 also may communicate an activity being performed by the sender while the sender is using the instant messaging user interface 105. For example, when the sender is listening to music, the avatar 135 may appear to be wearing headphones. When the sender is working, the sender avatar 135 may be dressed in business attire, such as appearing in a suit and a tie.
  • The appearance of the [0060] sender avatar 135 also may communicate the mood or an emotional state of the sender. For example, the sender avatar 135 may communicate a sad state of the sender by frowning or shedding a tear. The appearance of the sender avatar 135 or the recipient avatar 115 may resemble the sender or the recipient, respectively. For example, the appearance of the sender avatar 135 may be such that the sender avatar 135 appears to be of a similar age as the sender. In one implementation, as the sender ages, the sender avatar 135 also may appear to age. As another example, the appearance of the recipient avatar 115 may be such that the recipient avatar 115 has an appearance similar to that of the recipient.
  • In some implementations, the wallpaper applied to the [0061] window portion 120 and/or the wallpaper applied to the window portion 140 may include one or more animated objects. The animated objects may repeat continuously or periodically on a predetermined or random basis a series of animations. Additionally or alternatively, the wallpapers applied to the window portions 120 and 140 may be animated to in response to the text of messages sent between the sender and the recipient. For example, the text of an instant message sent by the sender may trigger an animation of the animated objects included in the wallpaper corresponding to the sender avatar 135, and the text of an instant messages sent by the instant message recipient to the sender may trigger an animation of the animated objects included in the wallpaper corresponding to the recipient avatar 115. The animated objects included in the wallpapers may be animated to reflect the setting or environment, activity and mood of the recipient and the sender, respectively.
  • An avatar may be used as a mechanism to enable self-expression or additional non-text communication by a user associated with the avatar. For example, the [0062] sender avatar 135 is a projection of the sender, and the recipient avatar 115 is a projection of the recipient. The avatar represents the user in instant messaging communications sessions that involve the user. The personality or emotional state of a sender may be projected or otherwise communicated through the personality of the avatar. Some users may prefer to use an avatar that more accurately represents the user. As such, a user may change the appearance and behavior of an avatar to more accurately reflect the personality of the user. In some cases, a sender may prefer to use an avatar for self-expression rather than projecting an actual image of the sender. For example, some people may prefer using an avatar to sending a video or photograph of the sender.
  • Referring to FIG. 2, the animation of an avatar may involve resizing or repositioning the avatar such that the avatar occupies more or different space on the instant [0063] message user interface 105 than the original boundary of the avatar. In the illustration of FIG. 2, the size of sender avatar 205 has been increased such that the avatar 205 covers a portion of the message instant message composition area 145 and the control 155. In addition, elements of the user interface 100 other than an avatar also may be displayed using additional space or using different space on the user interface 100. For example, a sender avatar may depict a starfish with an expressive face and may be displayed on wallpaper that includes animated fish. The animated fish included in the wallpaper may be drawn outside the original boundary around the sender avatar 135 and appear to swim outside the original boundary area.
  • Referring to FIG. 3, a [0064] process 300 is illustrated for animating an avatar for self-expression based on the content of an instant message. In particular, an avatar representing an instant message sender is animated in response to text sent by the sender. The wallpaper of the avatar also is animated. The process 300 is performed by a processor executing an instant messaging communications program. In general, the text of a message sent to an instant message recipient is searched for an animation trigger and, when a trigger is found, the avatar that represents the instant message sender is animated in a particular manner based on the particular trigger that is found. The wallpaper displayed for the avatar includes an animated object or animated objects. The object or objects may be animated based on the content of the instant message sent or may be animated based on other triggers, including (but not limited to) the passing of a predetermined amount of time, the occurrence of a particular day or time of day, any type of animation of the sender avatar, a particular type of animation of the sender avatar, any type of animation of the recipient avatar, or a particular type of the animation of the recipient avatar. Also, when the sender is inactive for a predetermined duration, the avatar sequentially displays each of multiple animations associated with an idle state.
  • The [0065] process 300 begins when an instant message sender who is associated with an avatar starts an instant messaging communications session with an instant message recipient (step 305). To do so, the sender may select the name of the recipient from a buddy list, such as the buddy list 170 from FIG. 1. Alternatively, the name of the recipient may be entered into a form that enables instant messages to be specified and sent. As another alternative, the sender may start an instant messaging application that may be used to sign on for access to the instant messaging system and specify the recipient as a user of the instant messaging system with which a communications session is to be started. Once the recipient has been specified in this manner, a determination is made as to whether a copy of avatars associated with the sender and the recipient exist on the instant message client system being used by the sender. If not, copies of the avatars are retrieved for use during the instant message communications session. For example, information to render an avatar of the recipient may be retrieved from an instant message host system or the instant message recipient client. In some cases, a particular avatar may be selected by the sender for use during the instant messaging communications session. Alternatively or additionally, the avatar may have been previously identified and associated with the sender.
  • The processor displays a user interface for the instant messaging session including the avatar associated with the sender and wallpaper applied to the user interface over which the avatar is displayed (step [0066] 307). The avatar may be displayed over, for example, wallpaper applied to a portion of a window in which an instant message interface is displayed. In another example, the avatar is displayed over a portion or portions of an instant message interface, such as window portions 120 or 140 and FIG. 1. In the example of FIG. 3, the wallpaper corresponding to avatar may include an object or objects that are animated during the instant message communications session.
  • The processor receives text of a message entered by the sender to be sent to the instant message recipient (step [0067] 310) and sends a message corresponding to the entered text to the recipient (step 315). The processor compares the text of the message to multiple animation triggers that are associated with the avatar projected by the sender (step 320). A trigger may include any letter, number, or symbol that may be typed or otherwise entered using a keyboard or keypad. Multiple triggers may be associated with an animation.
  • Referring also to FIG. 4, examples [0068] 400 of triggers associated with animations 405 a-405 q of a particular avatar model are shown. Each of the animations 405 a-405 q has multiple associated triggers 410 a-410 q. More particularly, by way of example, the animation 405 a, in which the avatar is made to smile, has associated triggers 410 a. Each of the triggers 410 a includes multiple character strings. In particular, triggers 410 a include a “:)” trigger 411 a, a “:-)” trigger 412 a, a “0:-)” trigger 413 a, a “0:)” trigger 414 a, and a “Nice” trigger 415 a. As illustrated, a trigger may be an English word, such as 415 a, or an emoticon, such as 411 a-414 a. Other examples of a trigger include a particular abbreviation, such as “lol” 411 n, and an English phrase, such as “Oh no” 415 e. As discussed previously, when one of the triggers is included in an instant message, the avatar is animated with an animation that is associated with the trigger. In one example, when “Nice” is included in an instant message, the avatar is made to smile. In one implementation, one or more of the triggers associated with an animation is modifiable by a user. For example, a user may associate a new trigger with an animation, such as by adding “Happy” to triggers 410 a to make the avatar smile. In another example, a user may delete a trigger associated with an animation (that is, disassociate a trigger from an animation), such as by deleting “Nice” 415 a. In yet another example, a user may change a trigger that is associated with an animation, such as by changing the “wink” trigger 413 b to “winks.”
  • In some implementations, a particular trigger may be associated with only one animation. In other implementations, a particular trigger may be permitted to be associated with multiple animations. In some implementations, only one of the multiple animations may be played in response to a particular trigger. The single animation to be played may be chosen randomly or in a pre-determined manner from the multiple animations. In other implementations, all of the multiple animations may be played serially based on a single trigger. In some implementations, a user may be permitted to delete a particular animation. For example, the user may delete the yell animation [0069] 405 g. In such a case, the user may delete some or all of the triggers associated with the yell animation 405 g or may chose to associate some or all of the triggers 410 g with a different animation, such as a smile animation 405 a.
  • Referring again to FIG. 3, the processor determines whether a trigger is included within the message (step [0070] 325). When the message includes a trigger (step 325), the processor identifies a type of animation that is associated with the identified trigger (step 330). This may be accomplished by using a database table, a list, or a file that associates one or more triggers with a type of animation for the avatar to identify a particular type of animation. Types of animation include, by way of example, a smile 405 a, a wink 405 b, a frown 405 c, an expression with a tongue out 405 d, a shocked expression 410 d, a kiss 405 f, a yell 405 g, a big smile 405 h, a sleeping expression 405 i, a nodding expression 405 j, a sigh 405 k, a sad expression 405 l, a cool expression 405 m, a laugh 405 n, a disappearance 405 o, a smell 405 p, or a negative expression 405 q, all of FIG. 4. The identified type of animation for the avatar is played (step 335).
  • Optionally, the processor may identify and play an animation of at least one wallpaper object based on the match of a trigger with the text of the message sent (step [0071] 337).
  • The processor monitors the communications activity of the sender for periods of inactivity (step [0072] 340) to detect when the sender is in an idle state or an idle period of communications activity (step 345). The sender may be in an idle state after a period during which no messages were sent. To detect an idle state, the processor may determine whether the sender has not typed or sent an instant message or otherwise interacted with the instant message communications application for a predetermined amount of time. Alternatively, an idle state may be detected by the processor when the sender has not used the computer system in which the processor operates for a predetermined amount of time.
  • When the processor detects inactivity (which may be referred to an idle state), a type of animation associated with the idle state is identified (step [0073] 350). This may be accomplished by using a database table, list or file that identifies one or more types of animations to play during a detected idle period. The type of animations played during a detected idle state may be the same as or different from the types of animations played based on a trigger in an instant message. The identified type of animation is played (step 355). In one implementation, multiple types of animation associated with the idle state may be identified and played. When the processor detects that the sender is no longer idle, such as by receiving an input from the sender, the processor may immediately stop playing the animation event (not shown). In some implementations, a user may select types of animations to be played during an idle period and/or select the order in which the animation are played when multiple animations are played during an idle period. A user may configure or otherwise determine the duration of time during which no messages are sent that constitutes an idle period for the user.
  • In some implementations, the processor may detect a wallpaper object trigger that is different than the trigger used to animate the sender avatar (step [0074] 360). For example, the processor may detect the passage of a predetermined amount of time. In another example, the processor may detect that the content of the instant message includes a trigger for a wallpaper object animation that is different from the trigger used to animate the sender avatar. Other wallpaper object triggers may include (but are not limited to) the occurrence of a particular day or a particular time of day, the existence of any animations by the sender avatar, the existence of a particular type of animation by the sender avatar, the existence of animations by the recipient avatar, and/or the existence of a particular type of the animation of the recipient avatar. The triggers for the animation of wallpaper objects also may be user-configurable such that a user selects whether a particular type of animation is to be included, any animations are to be played, and triggers for one or more of the wallpaper objects. A trigger for a type of animation of a wallpaper object or objects may be the same as, or different from, one of the triggers associated with animating the avatar.
  • When the processor detects a wallpaper object trigger (step [0075] 360), the processor identifies and plays an animation of at least one wallpaper object (step 337).
  • The process of identifying and playing types of animations during a sent instant message (steps [0076] 310-335) is performed for every instant message that is sent and for every instant message that is received by the processor. The process of identifying and playing types of animation events during periods of inactivity (steps 340-355) may occur multiple times during the instant messaging communications session. Steps 310-355 may be repeated indefinitely until the end of the instant messaging communications session.
  • The process of identifying and playing the types of animations that correspond to a sent instant message or that are played during a period of sender inactivity (steps [0077] 320-355) also are performed by the processor of the instant message communications application that received the message. In this manner, the animation of the sender avatar may be viewed by the sender and the recipient of the instant message. Thus, the animation of the avatar conveys information from the sender to the recipient that is not directly included in the instant message.
  • Referring to FIG. 5, an [0078] instant messaging interface 500 may be used by a sender of a speech-based instant messaging system to send and receive instant messages. In the speech-based instant messaging system, instant messages are heard rather than read by users. The instant messages may be audio recordings of the users of the speech-based instant messaging system, or the instant messages may include text that is converted into audible speech with a text-to-speech engine. The audio recordings or the audible speech are played by the users. The speech-based instant messaging interface 500 may display an avatar 505 corresponding to a user of the instant messaging system from which speech-based instant messages are received. The avatar 505 may be animated automatically in response to the received instant messages such that the avatar 505 appears to be speaking the contents of the instant message. The recipient may view the animation of the avatar 505 and gather information not directly or explicitly conveyed in the instant message. Depending on the animation played, the recipient may be able to determine, for example, the mood of the sender or whether the sender is being serious or joking.
  • More particularly, the audio message may be processed in the same or similar manner as a textual instant message is processed with respect to the [0079] animation process 300 of FIG. 3. In such a case, types of animations are triggered by audio triggers included in an instant message.
  • In some implementations, the [0080] avatar 505 may appear to be speaking the instant message. For example, the avatar 505 may include animations of mouth movements corresponding to phonemes in human speech to increase the accuracy of the speaking animations. When the instant message includes text, a text-to-speech process may be generate sounds spoken by the avatar 505, animations corresponding to phonemes in the text may be generated, and a lip synchronization process may be used to synchronize the playing of the audio with the lip animation such that the phonemes are heard at the same time that the corresponding animation of the mouth of the avatar 505 is seen. When the instant message includes an audio recording, animations corresponding to phonemes in the audio recording may be generated, and a lip synchronization used to synchronize the playing of the audio recording with the lip animation.
  • In another example, a sender may record an audio portion to be associated with one or more animations of the [0081] avatar 505. The recording then may be played when the corresponding animation of the avatar 505 is played.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates an [0082] example process 600 for communicating between instant message clients 602 a and 602 b, through an instant message host system 604, to animate one avatar in response to an animation played in a different avatar. Each of the users using client 602 a or client 602 b is associated with an avatar that represents and projects the user during the instant message session. The communications between the clients 602 a and 602 b are facilitated by an instant messaging host system 604. In general, the communications process 600 enables a first client 602 a and a second client 602 b to send and receive communications from each other. The communications are sent through the instant messaging host system 604. Some or all of the communications may trigger an animation or animations in an avatar associated with the user of the first client 602 a and an animation or animations in an avatar associated with the user of the second client 602 b.
  • An instant messaging communications session is established between the [0083] first client 602 a and the second client 602 b in which communications are sent through the instant messaging server host system 604 (step 606). The communications session involves a first avatar that represents the user of the first client 602 a and a second avatar that represents the user of the second client 602 b. This may be accomplished, for example, as described previously with respect to step 305 of FIG. 3. In general, both the user of the first client 602 a and the user of the second client 602 b may use a user interface similar to the user interface 100 of FIG. 1 in which the sender avatar and the recipient avatar are displayed on the first client 602 a and on the second client 602 b.
  • During the instant messaging communications session, a user associated with the [0084] first client 602 a enters text of an instant message to be sent to a user of the second client 602 b, which is received by the processor on the client 602 aexecuting the instant messaging communications application (step 608). The entered text may include a trigger for one of the animations from the first avatar model. The processor executing the instant messaging communications application sends the entered text to the second client 602 b in the instant message by way of the host system 604 (step 610). Specifically, the host system 604 receives the message and forwards the message from the first client 602 a to the second client 602 b (step 612). The message then is received by the second client 602 b (step 614). Upon receipt of the message, the second client 602 b displays the message in a user interface in which messages from the user of the first client 602 a are displayed. The user interface may be similar to the instant messaging user interface 105 from FIG. 1, in which avatars corresponding to the sender and the recipient are displayed.
  • Both the [0085] first client 602 a and the second client 602 b have a copy of the message, and both the first client 602 a and the second client 602 b begin processing the text of the message to determine if the text of the message triggers any animations in the respective copies of the first and second avatar models. When processing the message, the first client 602 a and the second client 602 b may actually process the message substantially concurrently or serially, but both the first client 602 a and the second client 602 b process the message in the same way.
  • Specifically, the [0086] first client 602 a searches the text of the message for animation triggers to identify a type of animation to play (step 616 a). The first client 602 a then identifies an animation having the identified type of animation for a first avatar associated with the user of the first client 602 a (step 618 a). The first client 602 a plays the identified animation for the first avatar that is associated with the user of the first client 602 a (step 620 a). The first avatar model is used to identify the animation to be played because the first avatar model is associated with the first client 602 a, which sent the message. The first client 602 a and the second client 602 b use identical copies of the first avatar model to process the message, so the same animation event is seen on the first client 602 a and the second client 602 b.
  • The animation from the first avatar model triggers an animation from the second avatar model. To do so, the [0087] first client 602 a identifies, based on the identified type of animation played for the first avatar in response to the text trigger, a type of animation to be played for a second avatar that is associated with the user of the second client 602 b (step 622 a). The first client 602 b plays the identified type of animation for the second avatar (step 624 a).
  • The first client also may identify a type of animation to be played for wallpaper corresponding to the first avatar and plays the identified wallpaper animation of the first avatar (step [0088] 626 a). The wallpaper of the avatar may include an object or objects that are animated during the instant message communications session. The animation of the object or objects may occur based on, for example, a trigger in an instant message or the passage of a predetermined amount of time. The animation of wallpaper objects also may be user-configurable such that a user selects whether a particular type animation, or any animations, are played, and the triggers for one or more of the wallpaper objects. A trigger for a type of animation of a wallpaper object or objects may be the same as, or different from, one of the triggers associated with animating the avatar. After the message has been sent and processed, the user of the first client 602 a may not send any additional messages for a period of time. The first client 602 a detects such a period of inactivity (step 628 a). The first client 602 a identifies and plays an animation of a type associated with a period of inactivity of detected by the first client 602 a (step 630 a). This may be accomplished by using a database table, list or file that identifies one or more types of animations to play during a detected idle period.
  • The [0089] second client 602 b processes the instant message in the same was as the first client 602 a. Specifically, the second client 602 b processes the message with steps 616 b through 630 b, each of which are substantially the same as parallel the message processing steps 616 a through 630 a performed by the first client 602 a. Because each of the first client 602 a and the second client 602 b have copies of the avatars corresponding to the users of the first client 602 a and the second client 602 b, the same animations that were played on the first client 602 a as a result of executing steps 616 a through 630 a are played on the second client 602 b as a result of executing the similar steps 616 b through 630 b.
  • During the [0090] communications process 600, a text-based message indicates the types of animations that occur. However, messages with different types of content also may trigger animations of the avatars. For example, characteristics of an audio signal included in an audio-based message may trigger animations from the avatars.
  • Referring to FIG. 7, a [0091] process 700 is used to select and optionally customize an avatar for use with an instant messaging system. An avatar may be customized to reflect a personality to be expressed or another aspect of self-expression of the user associated with the avatar. The process 700 begins when a user selects an avatar from multiple avatars and the selection is received by the processor executing the process 700 (step 705). For example, a user may select a particular avatar from multiple avatars such as the avatars illustrated in FIG. 8. Each of the avatars 805 a-805 r is associated with an avatar model that specifies the appearance of the avatar. Each of the avatars 805 a-805 r also includes multiple associated animations, each animation identified as being of a particular animation type. The selection may be accomplished, for example, when a user selects one avatar from a group of displayed avatars. The display of the avatars may show multiple avatars in a window, such as by showing a small representation (which in some implementations may be referred to as a “thumbnail”) of each avatar. Additionally or alternatively, the display may be a list of avatar names from which the user selects.
  • FIG. 8 illustrates multiple avatars [0092] 805 a-805 r. Each avatar 805 a-805 r includes an appearance, name, and personality description. In one example, avatar 805 a has an appearance 810 a, a name 810 b and a personality description 810 c. The appearance of an avatar may represent, by way of example, living, fictional or historical people, sea creatures, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, birds, or animated objects. Some avatars may be represented only with a head, such as avatars 805 a-805 r. In one example, the appearance of the avatar 805 b includes a head of a sheep. The appearance of other avatars may include only a portion or a specific part of a head. For example, the appearance of the avatar 805 l resembles a set of lips. Other avatars may be represented by a body in addition to a head. For example, the appearance of the avatar 805 n includes a full crab body in addition to a head. An avatar may be displayed over wallpaper that is related in subject matter to the avatar. In one example, the avatar 805 i is displayed over wallpaper that is indicative of a swamp in which the avatar 805 j lives.
  • Each of the avatars [0093] 805 a-805 r has a base state expression. For example, the avatar 805 f appears to be happy, the avatar 805 j appears to be sad, and the avatar 805 m appears to be angry. Avatars may have other base state expressions, such as scared or bored. The base state expression of an avatar may influence the behavior of the avatar, including the animations and the sounds of the avatar. In one example, the avatar 805 f has a happy base state expression and consequently has a generally happy behavior, whereas the avatar 805 m has a creepy base state expression and consequently has a generally scary, creepy and spooky demeanor. In another example, a happy avatar may have upbeat sounds while an angry avatar may appear to be shouting when a sound is produced. The base state expression of an avatar may be changed as a result of the activities of a user associated with the avatar. By way of example, the degree of happiness expressed by the avatar may be related to the number of messages sent or received by the user. When the user sends or receives many messages in a predetermined period of time, the avatar may appear happier than when the user sends or receives fewer messages in the predetermined period of time.
  • One of multiple avatars [0094] 805 a-805 r may be chosen by a user of the instant messaging system. Each of the avatars 805 a-805 r is associated with an appearance, characteristics and behaviors that express a particular type of personality. For example, an avatar 805 f, which has appearance characteristics of a dolphin, may be chosen.
  • Each of the avatars [0095] 805 a-805 r is a multi-dimensional character with depth of personality, voice, and visual attributes. In contrast to representing a single aspect of a user through the use of an unanimated, two-dimensional graphical icon, an avatar of the avatars 805 a-805 r is capable of indicating a rich variety of information about the user projecting the avatar. Properties of the avatar enable the communication of physical attributes, emotional attributes, and other types of context information about the user that are not well-suited (or even available) for presentation through the use of two-dimensional icons that are not animated. In one example, the avatar may reflect the user's mood, emotions, and personality. In another example, the avatar may reflect the location, activities and other context of the user. These characteristics of the user may be communicated through the appearance, the visual animations, and the audible sounds of the avatar.
  • In one example of an avatar personality, an avatar named SoccerBuddy (not shown) is associated with an energetic personality. In fact, the personality of the SoccerBuddy avatar may be described as energetic, bouncy, confidently enthusiastic, and youthful. The SoccerBuddy avatar's behaviors reflect events in soccer matches. For example, the avatar's yell animation is an “ole, ole, ole” chant, his big-smile animation is “gooooooaaaaaallllll,” and, during a frown animation or a tongue-out animation, the avatar shows a yellow card. Using wallpaper, the SoccerBuddy is customizable to represent a specific team. Special features of the SoccerBuddy avatar include cleated feet to represent the avatar's base. In general, the feet act as the base for the avatar. The SoccerBuddy avatar is capable of appearing to move about by pogo-sticking on his feet. In a few animations, such as when the avatar goes away, the avatar's feet may become large and detach from the SoccerBuddy. The feet are able to be animated to kick a soccer ball around the display. [0096]
  • In another example, a silent movie avatar is reminiscent of silent film actor in the 1920's and 1930's. A silent movie avatar is depicted using a stove-pipe hat and a handle-bar moustache. The silent movie avatar is not associated with audio. Instead of speaking, the silent movie avatar is replaced by, or displays, placards having text in a manner similar to how speech was conveyed in a silent movie. [0097]
  • In other examples, an avatar may be appropriate to current events or a season. In one example, an avatar may represent a team or a player on a team involved in professional or amateur sport. An avatar may represent a football team, a baseball team, or a basketball team, or a particular player of a team. In one example, teams engaged in a particular playoff series may be represented. Examples of seasonal avatars include a Santa Claus avatar, an Uncle Sam avatar, a Thanksgiving turkey avatar, a Jack-o-Lantern avatar, a Valentine's Day heart avatar, an Easter egg avatar, and an Easter bunny avatar. [0098]
  • Animation triggers of the avatar may be modified to customize when various types of animations associated with the avatar are to occur (step [0099] 710). For example, a user may modify the triggers shown in FIG. 4 to indicate when an avatar is to be animated, as described previously with respect to FIG. 3. The triggers may be augmented to include frequently used words, phrases, or character strings. The triggers also may be modified such that the animations that are played as a result of the triggers are indicative of the personality of the avatar. Modifying the triggers may help to define the personality expressed by the avatar and used for user self-expression.
  • A user also may configure the appearance of an avatar (step [0100] 715). This also may help define the personality of the avatar, and communicate a self-expressive aspect of the sender. For example, referring also to FIG. 9, an appearance modification user interface 900 may be used to configure the appearance of an avatar. In the example of FIG. 9, the appearance modification user interface 900 enables the user to modify multiple characteristics of a head of an avatar. For example, hair, eyes, nose, lips and skin tone of the avatar may be configured with the appearance modification user interface 900. For example, a hair slider 905 may be used to modify the length of the avatar's hair. The various positions of the hair slider 905 represent different possible lengths of hair for the avatar that correspond to different representations of the hair of the avatar included in the avatar model file associated with the avatar being configured. An eyes slider 910 may be used to modify the color of the avatar's eyes, with each position of the eyes slider 910 representing a different possible color of the avatar's eyes and each color being represented in the avatar model file. A nose slider 915 may be used to modify the appearance of the avatar's nose, with each position of the nose slider 915 representing a different possible appearance of the avatar's nose and each possible appearance being represented in the avatar model file. In a similar manner, a lips slider 920 may be used to modify the appearance of the avatar's lips, with each position of the lips slider 920 representing a different possible appearance of the avatar's lips and associated with a different lip representation in the avatar model file. The avatar's skin tone also may be modified with a skin tone slider 925. Each of the possible positions of the skin tone slider 925 represents a possible skin tone for the avatar with each being represented in the avatar model file.
  • The appearance of the avatar that is created as a result of using the sliders [0101] 905-925 may be previewed in an avatar viewer 930. The values chosen with the sliders 905-925 are reflected in the avatar illustrated in the avatar viewer 930. In one implementation, the avatar viewer 930 may be updated as each of the sliders 905-925 is moved such that the changes made to the avatar's appearance are immediately visible. In another implementation, the avatar viewer 930 may be updated once after all of the sliders 905-925 have been used.
  • A [0102] rotation slider 935 enables the rotation of the avatar illustrated in the avatar viewer 930. For example, the avatar may be rotated about an axis by a number of degrees chosen on the rotation slider 935 relative to an unrotated orientation of the avatar. In one implementation, the axis extends vertically through the center of the avatar's head and the unrotated orientation of the avatar is when the avatar is facing directly forward. Rotating the avatar's head with the rotation slider 930 enables viewing of all sides of the avatar to illustrate the changes to the avatar's appearance made with the sliders 905-925. The avatar viewer 930 may be updated as the rotation slider 930 is moved such that changes in the orientation of the avatar may be immediately visible.
  • The appearance [0103] modification user interface 900 also includes a hair tool button 940, a skin tool button 945, and a props tool button 950. Selecting the hair tool button 940 displays a tool for modifying various characteristics of the avatar's hair. For example, the tool displayed as a result of selecting the hair tool button 940 may enable changes to, for example, the length, color, cut, and comb of the avatar's hair. In one implementation, the changes made to the avatar's hair with the tool displayed as a result of selecting the hair tool button 940 are reflected in the illustration of the avatar in the avatar viewer 930.
  • Similarly, selecting a [0104] skin tool button 945 displays a tool for modifying various aspects of the avatar's skin. For example, the tool displayed as a result of selecting the skin tool button 945 may enable, for example, changing the color of the avatar's skin, giving the avatar a tan, giving the avatar tattoos, or changing the weathering of the avatar's skin to give appearances of the age represented by the avatar. In one implementation, the changes made to the avatar's skin with the tool displayed as a result of selecting the skin tool button 945 are reflected in the illustration of the avatar in the avatar viewer 930.
  • In a similar manner, selecting the [0105] props tool button 950 displays a tool for associating one or more props with the avatar. For example, the avatar may be given eyeglasses, earrings, hats, or other objects that may be worn by, or displayed on or near, the avatar through use of the props tool. In one implementation, the props given to the avatar with the tool displayed as a result of selecting the props tool button 950 are shown in the illustration of the avatar in the avatar viewer 930. In some implementations, all of the props that may be associated with the avatar are included in the avatar model file. The props controls whether each of the props is made visible when the avatar is displayed. In some implementations, a prop may be created using and rendered by two-dimensional animation techniques. The rendering of the prop is synchronized with animations for the three-dimensional avatar. Props may be generated and associated with an avatar after the avatar is initially created.
  • Once all desired changes have been made to the avatar's appearance, the user may accept the changes by selecting a publish [0106] button 955. Selecting the publish button 955 saves the changes made to the avatar's appearance. In addition, when copies of the avatar are held by other users of the instant messaging system to reflect the change made, the other users are sent updated copies of the avatar that reflect the changes made by the user to the avatar. The copies of the avatar may be updated so that all copies of the avatar have the same appearance such that there is consistency among the avatars used to send and receive out-of-band communications. The appearance modification user interface 900 may be used by the user to change only copies of the avatar corresponding to the user. Therefore, the user is prevented from making changes to other avatars corresponding to other users that may be overwritten he user is sent updated copies of the other avatars because the other users made changes to the other avatars. Preventing the user from modifying the other avatars ensures that all copies of the avatars are identical.
  • The avatar illustrated in the [0107] avatar viewer 930 may have an appearance that does not include one of hair, eyes, a nose, lips, or skin tone that are modified with the sliders 905-925. For example, the appearance of the avatar 805 l from FIG. 8 does not include hair, eyes, a nose, or skin tone. In such a case, the appearance modification user interface 900 may omit the sliders 905-925 and instead include sliders to control other aspects of the appearance of the avatar. For example, the appearance modification user interface 900 may include a teeth slider when the appearance of the avatar 805 l is being modified. Moreover, the interface 900 may be customized based on the avatar selected, to enable appropriate and relevant visual enhancements thereto.
  • In another example of configuring the appearance of an avatar, a configurable facial feature of an avatar may be created using blend shapes of the animation model corresponding to the avatar. A blend shape defines a portion of the avatar that may be animated. In some implementations, a blend shape may include a mesh percentage that may be modified to cause a corresponding modification in the facial feature. In such a case, a user may be able to configure a facial feature of an avatar by using a slider or other type of control to modify the mesh percentage of the blend shapes associated with the facial feature being configured. [0108]
  • In addition to modifying the appearance of the avatar with the appearance [0109] modification user interface 900, the color, texture, and particles of the avatar may be modified. More particularly, the color or shading of the avatar may be changed. The texture applied to avatar may be changed to age or weather the skin of the avatar. Furthermore, the width, length, texture, and color of particles of the avatar may be customized. In one example, particles of the avatar used to portray hair or facial hair, such as a beard, may be modified to show hair or beard growth in the avatar.
  • Referring again to FIG. 7, wallpaper over which the avatar is illustrated and an animation for objects in the wallpaper may be chosen (step [0110] 720). This may be accomplished by, for example, choosing wallpaper from a set of possible wallpapers. The wallpapers may include animated objects, or the user may choose objects and animations for the chosen objects to be added to the chosen wallpaper.
  • A trading card that includes an image of the avatar, a description of the avatar may be created (step [0111] 725). In some implementations, the trading card also may include a description of the user associated with the avatar. The trading card may be shared with other users of the instant messaging system to inform the other users of the avatar associated with the user.
  • Referring also to FIG. 10, one example of a trading card is depicted. The [0112] front side 1045 of the trading card shows the avatar 1046. The animations of the avatar may be played by selecting the animations control 1047. The back side 1050 of the trading card includes descriptive information 1051 about the avatar, including the avatar's name, date of birth, city, species, likes, dislikes, hobbies, and aspirations. As illustrated in FIG. 10, both the front side 1045 and the back side 1050 of the trading card is shown. In some implementations, only one side 1045 or 1050 of the trading card is able to be displayed at one time. In such a case, a user may be able to control the side of the trading card that is displayed by using one of the flip controls 1048 or 1052. A store from which accessories for the avatar 1046 illustrated in the trading card may be accessed by selecting a shopping control 1049.
  • Referring again to FIG. 7, the avatar also may be exported for use in another application (step [0113] 730). In some implementations, an avatar may be used by an application other than a messaging application. In one example, an avatar may be displayed as part of a user's customized home page of the user's access provider, such as an Internet service provider. An instant message sender may drag-and-drop an avatar to the user's customized home page such that the avatar is viewable by the user corresponding to the avatar. In another example, the avatar may be used in an application in which the avatar is viewable by anyone. An instant message sender may drag-and-drop the sender's avatar to the sender's blog or another type of publicly-accessible online journal. The user may repeat one or more of the steps in process 700 until the user is satisfied with the appearance and behavior of the avatar. The avatar is saved and made available for use in an instant messaging communications session.
  • Referring again to FIG. 10, the avatar [0114] settings user interface 1000 includes a personality section 1002. Selecting a personality tab 1010 displays a personality section of the avatar settings interface 1000 for modifying the behavior of the one or more avatars. In one implementation, the avatar settings user interface 1000 may be used with the process 700 of FIG. 7 to choose the wallpaper of an avatar and/or to create a trading card for an avatar.
  • The [0115] personality section 1002 of the avatar settings interface 1000 includes an avatar list 1015 including the one or more various avatars corresponding to the user of the instant messaging system. Each of the one or more avatars may be specified to have a distinct personality for use while communicating with a specific person or in a specific situation. In one implementation, an avatar may change appearance or behavior depending on the person with which the user interacts. For example, an avatar may be created with a personality that is appropriate for business communications, and another avatar may be created with a personality that is appropriate for communications with family members. Each of the avatars may be presented in the list with a name as well as a small illustration of each avatar's appearance. Selection of an avatar from the avatar list 1015 enables the specification of the behavior of the selected avatar. For example, the avatar 1020, which is chosen to be the user's default avatar, has been selected from the avatar list 1015, so the behavior of the avatar 1020 may be specified.
  • Names of the avatars included in the avatar list may be changed through selection of a [0116] rename button 1025. Selecting the rename button displays a tool for changing the name of an avatar selected from the avatar list 1015. Similarly, an avatar may be designated as a default avatar by selecting a default button 1030 after selecting the avatar from the avatar list 1015. Avatars may be deleted by selecting a delete button 1035 after selecting the avatar from the avatar list 1015. In one implementation, a notification is displayed before the avatar is deleted from the avatar list 1015. Avatars also may be created by selecting a create button 1040. When the create button 1040 is pressed, a new entry is added to the avatar list 1015. The entry may be selected and modified in the same way as other avatars in the avatar list 1015.
  • The behavior of the avatar is summarized in a [0117] card front 1045 and a card back 1050 displayed on the personality section. The card front 1045 includes an illustration of the avatar and wallpaper over which the avatar 1020 is illustrated. The card front 1045 also includes a shopping control 1049 to a means for purchasing props for the selected avatar 1020. The card back 1050 includes information describing the selected avatar 1020 and a user of the selected avatar. The description may include a name, a birth date, a location, as well as other identifying and descriptive information for the avatar and the user of the avatar. The card back 1050 also may include an illustration of the selected avatar 1020 as well as the wallpaper over which the avatar 1020 is illustrated. The trading card created as part of the avatar customization process 700 includes the card front 1045 and the card back 1050 automatically generated by the avatar settings interface 1000.
  • The [0118] personality section 1002 of the avatar settings interface 1000 may include multiple links 1055-1070 to tools for modifying other aspects of the selected avatar's 1020 behavior. For example, an avatar link 1055 may lead to a tool for modifying the appearance of the selected avatar 1020. In one implementation, selecting the avatar link 1055 may display the appearance modification user interface 900 from FIG. 9. In another implementation, the avatar link 1055 may display a tool for substituting or otherwise selecting the selected avatar 1020. In yet another example, the avatar link 1055 may allow the appearance of the avatar to be changed to a different species. For example, the tool may allow the appearance of the avatar 1020 to be changed from that of a dog to that of a cat.
  • A [0119] wallpaper link 1060 may be selected to display a tool for choosing the wallpaper over which the selected avatar 1020 is drawn. In one implementation, the wallpaper may be animated.
  • A [0120] sound link 1065 may be selected to display a tool with which the sounds made by the avatar 1020 may be modified. The sounds may be played when the avatar is animated, or at other times, to get the attention of the user.
  • An [0121] emoticon link 1070 may be selected to display a tool for specifying emoticons that are available when communicating with the selected avatar 1020. Emoticons are two-dimensional non-animated images that are sent when certain triggers are included in the text of an instant message. Changes made using the tools that are accessible through the links 1055-1070 may be reflected in the card front 1045 and the card back 1050. After all desired changes have been made to the avatars included in the avatar list 1015, the avatar settings interface 1000 may be dismissed by selecting a close button 1075.
  • It is possible, through the systems and techniques described herein, particularly with respect to FIGS. 11A-14, to enable users to assemble multiple self-expression items into a collective “online persona” or “online personality,” which may then be saved and optionally associated with one or more customized names. Each self-expression item is used to represent the instant message sender or a characteristic or preference of the instant message sender, and may include user-selectable binary objects. The self-expression items may be made perceivable by a potential instant message recipient (“instant message recipient”) before, during, or after the initiation of communications by a potential instant message sender (“instant message sender”). For example, self-expression items may include an avatar, images, such as wallpaper, that are applied in a location having a contextual placement on a user interface. The contextual placement typically indicates an association with the user represented by the self-expression item. For instance, the wallpaper may be applied in an area where messages from the instant message sender are displayed, or in an area around a dialog area on a user interface. Self-expression items also include sounds, animation, video clips, and emoticons (e.g., smileys). The personality may also include a set of features or functionality associated with the personality. For example, features such as encrypted transmission, instant message conversation logging, and forwarding of instant messages to an alternative communication system may be enabled for a given personality. [0122]
  • Users may assign personalities to be projected when conversing with other users, either in advance of or “on-the-fly” during a communication session. This allows the user to project different personalities to different people on-line. In particular, users may save one or more personalities (e.g., where each personality typically includes groups of instant messaging self-expression items such as, for example avatars, Buddy Sounds, Buddy Wallpaper, and Smileys, and/or a set of features and functionalities) and they may name those personalities to enable their invocation, they may associate each of different personalities with different users with whom they communicate or groups of such users so as to automatically display an appropriate/selected personality during communications with such other users or groups, or they may establish each of different personalities during this process of creating, adding or customizing lists or groups of users or the individual users themselves. Thus, the personalities may be projected to others in interactive online environments (e.g., Instant Messaging and Chat) according the assignments made by the user. Moreover, personalities may be assigned, established and/or associated with other settings, such that a particular personality may be projected based on time-of-day, geographic or virtual location, or even characteristics or attributes of each (e.g., cold personality for winter in Colorado or chatting personality while participating in a chat room). [0123]
  • In many instances, an instant message sender may have multiple online personas for use in an instant message communications session. Each online persona is associated with an avatar representing the particular online persona of the instant message sender. In many cases, each online persona of a particular instant message sender is associated with a different avatar. This need not be necessarily so. Moreover, even when two or more online personas of a particular instant message sender include the same avatar, the appearance or behavior of the avatar may be different for each of the online personas. In one example, a starfish avatar may be associated with two online personas of a particular instant message sender. The starfish avatar that is associated with one online persona may have different animations than the other starfish avatar that is associated with the other online persona. Even when both of the starfish avatars include the same animations, one of the starfish avatars may be animated to display an animation of a particular type based on different triggers than the same animation that is displayed for the other of the starfish avatars. [0124]
  • FIG. 11A shows relationships between online personas, avatars, avatar behaviors and avatar appearances. In particular, FIG. 11A shows online personas [0125] 1102 a-1102 e and avatars 1104 a-1104 d that are associated with the online personas 1102 a-1102 e. Each of the avatars 1104 a-1104 d includes an appearance 1106 a-1106 c and a behavior 1108 a-1108 d. More particularly, the avatar 1104 a includes an appearance 1106 a and a behavior 1108 a; the avatar 1104 b includes an appearance 1106 b and a behavior 1108 b; the avatar 1104 c includes the appearance 1106 c and a behavior 1108 c; and the avatar 1104 d includes an appearance 1106 c and a behavior 1108 d. The avatars 1104 c and 1104 d are similar in that both include the appearance 1106 c. However, the avatars 1104 c and 1104 d differ in that the avatar 1104 c includes the behavior 1108 c while the avatar 1104 d includes the behavior 1108 d.
  • Each of the online personas [0126] 1102 a-1102 e is associated with one of the avatars 1104 a-1104 d. More particularly, the online persona 1102 a is associated with the avatar 1104 a; the online persona 1102 b is associated with the avatar 1104 b; the online persona 1102 c also is associated with the avatar 1104 b the online persona 1102 d is associated with the avatar 1104 c; and the online persona 1102 e is associated with the avatar 1104 d. As illustrated by the online persona 1102 a that is associated with the avatar 1104 a, an online persona may be associated with an avatar that is not also associated with a different online persona.
  • Multiple online personas may use the same avatar. This is illustrated by the [0127] online personas 1102 b and 1102 c that are both associated with the avatar 1104 b. In this case, the appearance and behavior exhibited by avatar 1104 b is the same for both of the online personas 1102 b and 1102 c. In some cases, multiple online personas may use similar avatars that have the same appearance by which exhibit different behavior, as illustrated by online personas 1102 d and 1102 e. The online personas 1102 d and 1102 e are associated with similar avatars 1104 c and 1104 d that have the same appearance 1106 c. The avatars 1102 d and 1102 e, however, exhibit different behavior 1108 c and 1108 d, respectively.
  • In creating personalities, the instant message sender may forbid a certain personality to be shown to designate instant message recipients and/or groups. For example, if the instant message sender wants to ensure that the “Casual” personality is not accidentally displayed to the boss or to co-workers, the instant message sender may prohibit the display of the “Casual” personality to the boss on an individual basis, and may prohibit the display of the “Casual” personality to the “Co-workers” group on a group basis. An appropriate user interface may be provided to assist the instant message sender in making such a selection. Similarly, the instant message sender may be provided an option to “lock” a personality to an instant message recipient or a group of instant message recipients to guard against accidental or unintended personality switching and/or augmenting. Thus, for example, the instant message sender may choose to lock the “Work” personality to the boss on an individual basis, or to lock the “Work” personality to the “Co-workers” group on a group basis. In one example, the Casual personality will not be applied to a locked personality. [0128]
  • FIG. 11B shows an [0129] exemplary process 1100 to enable an instant message sender to select an online persona to be made perceivable to an instant message recipient. The selected online persona includes an avatar representing the online persona of the instant message sender. The process 1100 generally involves selecting and projecting an online persona that includes an avatar representing the sender. The instant message sender creates or modifies one or more online personalities, including an avatar representing the sender (step 1105). The online personalities may be created or modified with, for example, the avatar settings user interface 1000 of FIG. 10. Creating an online persona generally involves the instant message sender selecting one or more self-expression items and/or features and functionalities to be displayed to a certain instant message recipient or group of instant message recipients. A user interface may be provided to assist the instant message sender in making such a selection, as illustrated in FIG. 12.
  • FIG. 12 shows a [0130] chooser user interface 1200 that enables the instant message sender to select among available personalities 1205, 1210, 1215, 1220, 1225, 1230, 1235, 1240, 1245, 1250, and 1255. The user interface 1200 also has a control 1260 to enable the instant message sender to “snag” the personality of another user, and a control 1265 to review the personality settings currently selected by the instant message sender. Through the use of the avatar settings interface 1000, the user may change the personality, including the avatar, being projected to the instant message recipient before, during, or after the instant message conversation with the recipient.
  • Alternatively, the selection of a personality also may occur automatically without sender intervention. For example, an automatic determination may be made that the sender is sending instant messages from work. In such a case, a personality to be used at work may be selected automatically and used for all communications. As another example, an automatic determination may be made that the sender is sending instant messages from home, and a personality to be used at home may be selected automatically and used for all communications. In such an implementation, the sender is not able to control which personality is selected for use. In other implementations, automatic selection of a personality may be used in conjunction with sender selection of a personality, in which case the personality automatically selected may act as a default that may be changed by the sender. [0131]
  • FIG. 13 shows a [0132] series 1300 of exemplary user interfaces for enabling an instant message sender to create and store a personality, and/or select various aspects of the personality such as avatars, buddy wallpaper, buddy sounds, and smileys. As shown, user interface 1305 enables an instant message sender to select a set of one or more self-expression items and save the set of self-expression items as a personality. The user interface 1305 also enables an instant message sender to review and make changes to an instant message personality. For example, the user interface 1305 enables an instant message sender to choose an avatar 1310 (here, referred to as a SuperBuddy), buddy wallpaper 1315, emoticons 1320 (here, referred to as Smileys), and buddy sounds 1325. A set of controls 1340 is provided to enable the instant message sender to preview 1340 a the profile and to save 1340 b these selected self-expression items as a personality. The instant message sender is able to name and save the personality 1345 and then is able to apply the personality 1350 to one or more individual instant message recipients or one or more groups of instant message recipients. A management area 1350 a is provided to enable the instant message sender to delete, save, or rename various instant message personalities. In choosing the self-expression items, other interfaces such as user interface 1355 may be displayed to enable the instant message sender to select the particular self-expression items. The user interface 1355 includes a set of themes 1360 for avatars which enables an instant message sender to select a particular theme 1365 and choose a particular avatar 1370 in the selected theme. A set of controls 1375 is provided to assist the instant message sender in making the selection of self-expression items. Also, an instant message sender may be enabled to choose a predetermined theme, for example, by using a user interface 1380. In user interface 1380, the instant message sender may select various categories 1385 of pre-selected themes and upon selecting a particular category 1390, a set of default pre-selected, self-expression items is displayed, 1390 a, 1390 b, 1390 c, 1390 d, 1390 e, and 1390 f. The set may be unchangeable or the instant message sender may be able to individually change any of the pre-selected self-expression items in the set. A control section 1395 is also provided to enable the instant message sender to select the themes.
  • In another implementation, the features or functionality of the instant message interface may vary based upon user-selected or pre-selected options for the personality selected or currently in use. The features or functionality may be transparent to the instant message sender. For example, when using the “Work” personality, the outgoing instant messages may be encrypted, and a copy may be recorded in a log, or a copy may be forwarded to a designated contact such as an administrative assistant. A warning may be provided to an instant message recipient that the instant message conversation is being recorded or viewed by others, as appropriate to the situation. By comparison, if the non-professional “Casual” personality is selected, the outgoing instant messages may not be encrypted and no copy is recorded or forwarded. [0133]
  • As a further example, if the “Work” personality is selected and the instant message sender indicates an unavailability to receive instant messages (e.g., through selection of an “away” message or by going offline), then messages received from others during periods of unavailability may be forwarded to another instant message recipient such as an administrative assistant, or may be forwarded to an e-mail address for the instant message sender. By comparison, if the non-professional “Casual” personality is selected, no extra measures are taken to ensure delivery of the message. [0134]
  • In one implementation, the features and functionality associated with the personality would be transparent to the instant message sender, and may be based upon one or more pre-selected profiles types when setting up the personality. For example, the instant message sender may be asked to choose from a group of personality types such as professional, management, informal, vacation, offbeat, etc. In the example above, the “Work” personality may have been be set up as a “professional” personality type and the “Casual” personality may have been set up as an “informal” personality type. In another implementation, the instant message sender may individually select the features and functionalities associated with the personality. [0135]
  • Referring again to FIG. 11B, the personality is then stored (step [0136] 1110). The personality may be stored on the instant message sender system, on the instant message host system, or on a different host system such as a host system of an authorized partner or access provider.
  • Next, the instant message sender assigns a personality to be projected during future instant message sessions or when engaged in future instant message conversations with an instant message recipient (step [0137] 1115). The instant message sender may wish to display different personalities to different instant message recipients and/or groups in the buddy list. The instant message sender may use a user interface to assign personalization items to personalities on at least a per-buddy group basis. For example, an instant message sender may assign a global avatar to all personalities, but assign different buddy sounds on a per-group basis to other personalities (e.g. work, family, friends), and assign buddy wallpaper and smileys on an individual basis to individual personalities corresponding to particular instant message recipients within a group. The instant message sender may assign other personality attributes based upon the occurrence of certain predetermined events or triggers. For example, certain potential instant message recipients may be designated to see certain aspects of the Rainy Day personality if the weather indicates rain at the geographic location of the instant message sender. Default priority rules may be implemented to resolve conflicts, or the user may select priority rules to resolve conflicts among personalities being projected or among self-expression items being projected for an amalgamated personality.
  • For example, a set of default priority rules may resolve conflicts among assigned personalities by assigning the highest priority to personalities and self-expression items of personalities assigned on an individual basis, assigning the next highest priority to assignments of personalities and personalization items made on a group basis, and assigning the lowest priority to assignments of personalities and personalization items made on a global basis. However, the user may be given the option to override these default priority rules and assign different priority rules for resolving conflicts. [0138]
  • Next, an instant message session between the instant message sender and the instant message recipient is initiated (step [0139] 1120). The instant message session may be initiated by either the instant message sender or the instant message recipient.
  • An instant message user interface is rendered to the instant message recipient, configured to project the personality, including the avatar, assigned to the instant message recipient by the instant message sender (step [0140] 1125), as illustrated, for example, in the user interface 100 in FIG. 1. The personality, including an avatar associated with the personality, chosen by an instant messaging recipient may be made perceivable upon opening of a communication window by the instant message sender for a particular instant message recipient but prior to initiation of communications. This may allow a user to determine whether to initiate communications with instant message recipient. For example, an instant message sender may notice that the instant message recipient is projecting an at-work personality, and the instant message sender may decide to refrain from sending an instant message. This may be particularly true when the avatar of the instant message recipient is displayed on a contact list. On the other hand, rendering the instant message recipient avatar after sending an instant message may result in more efficient communications.
  • The appropriate personality/personalization item set for a buddy is sent to the buddy when the buddy communicates with the instant message sender through the instant messaging client program. For example, in an implementation which supports global personalization items, group personalization items, and personal personalization items, a personal personalization item is sent to the buddy if set, otherwise a group personalization item is sent, if set. If neither a personal nor a group personalization item is set, then the global personalization item is sent. As another example, in an implementation that supports global personalization items and group personalization items, the group personalization item for the group to which the buddy belongs is sent, if set, otherwise the global personalization item is sent. In an implementation that only supports group personalization items, the group personalization item for the group to which the buddy belongs is sent to the buddy. [0141]
  • An instant message session between the instant message sender and another instant message recipient also may be initiated (step [0142] 1130) by either the instant message sender or the second instant message recipient.
  • Relative to the second instant message session, a second instant message user interface is rendered to the second instant message recipient, configured to project the personality, including the avatar, assigned to the second instant message recipient by the instant message sender (step [0143] 1135), similar to the user interface illustrated by FIG. 1. The personality may be projected in a similar manner to that described above with respect to step 1125. However, the personality and avatar projected to the second instant message recipient may differ from the personality and avatar projected to the first instant message recipient described above in step 1125.
  • Referring to FIG. 14, an [0144] exemplary process 1400 enables an instant message sender to change a personality assigned to an instant message recipient. In process 1400, a user selection of a new online persona, including an avatar, to be assigned to the instant message recipient is received (step 1405). The change may be received through an instant message chooser 1200, such as that discussed above with respect to FIG. 12, and may include choosing self-expression items and/or features and functionality using such as interface or may include “snagging” an online persona or an avatar of the buddy using such an interface. Snagging an avatar refers to the appropriation by the instant message sender of one or more personalization items, such as the avatar, used by the instant message recipient. Typically, all personalization items in the online persona of the instant message recipient are appropriated by the instant message sender when “snagging” an online persona.
  • Next, the updated user interface for that instant message recipient is rendered based on the newly selected personality (step [0145] 1410).
  • FIG. 15 illustrates an [0146] example process 1500 for modifying the appearance, or the behavior, of an avatar associated with an instant message sender to communicate an out-of-band message to an instant message recipient. The process may be performed by an instant messaging system, such as communications systems 1600, 1700, and 1800 described with respect to FIGS. 16, 17, and 18, respectively. An out-of-band message refers to sending a message that communicates context out-of-band—that is, conveying information independent of information conveyed directly through the text of the instant message itself sent to the recipient. Thus, the recipient views the appearance and behavior of the avatar to receive information that is not directly or explicitly conveyed in the instant message itself. By way of example, an out-of-band communication may include information about the sender's setting, environment, activity or mood, which is not communicated and part of a text message exchanged by a sender and a recipient.
  • The [0147] process 1500 begins with the instant messaging system monitoring the communications environment and sender's environment for an out-of-band communications indicator (step 1510). The indicator may be an indicator of the sender's setting, environment, activity, or mood that is not expressly conveyed in instant messages sent by the sender. For example, the out-of-band indicator may be an indication of time and date of the sender's location, which may be obtained from a clock application associated with the instant messaging system or with the sender's computer. The indicator may be an indication of the sender's physical location. The indicator may be an indication of an indication of weather conditions of the sender's location, which may be obtained from a weather reporting service, such as a web site that provides weather information for geographic locations.
  • In addition, the indicator may indicate the activities of the sender that take place at, or near, the time when an instant message is sent. For example, the indicator may determine from the sender's computer other applications that are active at, or near, the time that an instant message is sent. For example, the indicator may detect that the sender is using a media-playing application to play music, so the avatar associated with the sender may appear to be wearing headphones to reflect that the sender is listening to music. As another example, the indicator may detect that the sender is working with a calculator application, so the avatar may appear to be wearing glasses to reflect that sender is working. [0148]
  • The activities of the sender also may be monitored through use of a camera focused on the sender. Visual information taken from the camera may be used to determine the activities and mood of the sender. For example, the location of points on the face of the sender may be determined from the visual information taken from the camera. The position and motion of the facial points may be reflected in the avatar associated with the sender. Therefore, if the sender were to, for example, smile, then the avatar also smiles. [0149]
  • The indicator of the sender's mood also may come from another device that is operable to determine the sender's mood and send an indication of mood to the sender's computer. For example, the sender may be wearing a device that monitors heart rate, and determines the sender's mood from the heart rate. For example, the device may conclude that the sender is agitated or excited when an elevated heart rate is detected. The device may send the indication of the sender's mood to the sender's computer for use with the sender's avatar. [0150]
  • The instant messaging system makes a determination as to whether an out-of-band communications indicator has been detected (step [0151] 1520). When an out-of-band communications indicator is detected, the instant messaging system determines whether the avatar must be modified, customized, or animated to reflect the detected out-of-band communications indicator (step 1530); meanwhile or otherwise, the instant messaging system continues to monitor for out-of-band communications indicators (step 1510). To determine whether action is required, the instant messaging system may use a data table, list or file that includes out-of-band communications indicators and an associated action to be taken for each out-of-band communications indicator. Action may not be required for each out-of-band communications indicator detected. For example, action may only be required for some out-of-band communications indicators when an indicator has changed from a previous indicator setting. By way of example, the instant messaging system may periodically monitor the clock application to determine whether the setting associated with the sender is daytime or nighttime. Once the instant messaging system has taken action based on detecting an out-of-band communications indicator having a nighttime setting, the instant messaging system need not take action based on the detection of a subsequent nighttime setting indicator. The instant messaging system only takes action based on the nighttime setting after receiving an intervening out-of-band communications indicator for a daytime setting.
  • When action is required (step [0152] 1540), the appearance and/or behavior of the avatar is modified in response to the out-of-band communications indicator (step 1550).
  • In one example, when an out-of-band communications indicator shows that the sender is sending instant messages at night, the appearance of the avatar is modified to be dressed in pajamas. When the indicator shows that the sender is sending instant messages during a holiday period, the avatar may be dressed in a manner illustrative of the holiday. By way of example, the avatar may be dressed as Santa Claus during December, a pumpkin near Halloween, or Uncle Sam during early July. [0153]
  • In another example, when the out-of-band indicator shows that the sender is at the office, the avatar may be dressed in business attire, such as a suit and a tie. The appearance of the avatar also may reflect the weather or general climate of the geographic location of the sender. For example, when the out-of-band communications indicator shows that it is raining at the location of the sender, the wallpaper of the avatar may be modified to include falling raindrops or display an open umbrella and/or the avatar may appear to wear a rain hat. [0154]
  • As another example, when the out-of-band communications indicator shows that the sender is listening to music, the appearance of the avatar may be changed to show the avatar wearing headphones. Additionally or alternatively, the appearance of the avatar may be changed based on the type of music to which the sender is listening. When the indicator indicates that the sender is working (at the sender's work location or at another location), the avatar may appear in business attire, such as wearing a suit and a tie. As indicated by this example, different out-of-band communications indicators may trigger the same appearance of the avatar. In particular, both the out-of-band communications indicator of the sender being located at work and the out-of-band communications indicator of the sender performing a work activity causes the avatar to appear to be wearing a suit and tie. [0155]
  • In yet another example of an out-of-band communications indicator, the mood of the sender may be so indicated. In such a case, the appearance of the avatar may be changed to reflect the indicated mood. For example, when the sender is sad, the avatar may be modified to reflect the sad state of the sender, such as by animating the avatar to frown or cry. In another example, based on the detected activity of the sender, a frazzled, busy or pressed mood may be detected and the avatar animated to communicate such an emotional state. [0156]
  • After the avatar appearance and/or behavior has been modified to reflect the out-of-band indicator (step [0157] 1550), the updated avatar, or an indication that the avatar has been updated, is communicated to the recipient (step 1560). Generally, the updated avatar, or indication that the avatar has been changed, is provided in association with the next instant message sent by the sender; however, this is not necessarily so in every implementation. In some implementations, a change in the avatar may be communicated to the recipient independently of the sending of a communication. Additionally or alternatively, when a buddy list of the instant message user interface includes a display of a sender's avatar, the change of the avatar appearance may be communicated to each buddy list that includes the sender. Thus, the recipient is made able to perceive the updated avatar, the behavior and/or appearance providing an out-of-band communication to the sender.
  • FIG. 16 illustrates a [0158] communications system 1600 that includes an instant message sender system 1605 capable of communicating with an instant message host system 1610 through a communication link 1615. The communications system 1600 also includes an instant message recipient system 1620 capable of communicating with the instant message host system 1610 through the communication link 1615. Using the communications system 1600, a user of the instant message sender system 1605 is capable of exchanging communications with a user of the instant message recipient system 1620. The communications system 1600 is capable of animating avatars for use in self-expression by an instant message sender.
  • In one implementation, any of the instant [0159] message sender system 1605, the instant message recipient system 1620, or the instant message host system 1610 may include one or more general-purpose computers, one or more special-purpose computers (e.g., devices specifically programmed to communicate with each other), or a combination of one or more general-purpose computers and one or more special-purpose computers. By way of example, the instant message sender system 1605 or the instant message recipient system 1620 may be a personal computer or other type of personal computing device, such as a personal digital assistant or a mobile communications device. In some implementations, the instant message sender system 1605 and/or the instant message recipient 1620 may be a mobile telephone that is capable of receiving instant messages.
  • The instant [0160] message sender system 1605, the instant message recipient system 1620 and the instant message host system 1610 may be arranged to operate within or in concert with one or more other systems, such as, for example, one or more LANs (“Local Area Networks”) and/or one or more WANs (“Wide Area Networks”). The communications link 1615 typically includes a delivery network (not shown) that provides direct or indirect communication between the instant message sender system 1605 and the instant message host system 1610, irrespective of physical separation. Examples of a delivery network include the Internet, the World Wide Web, WANs, LANs, analog or digital wired and wireless telephone networks (e.g., Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), and various implementations of a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)), radio, television, cable, or satellite systems, and other delivery mechanisms for carrying data. The communications link 1615 may include communication pathways (not shown) that enable communications through the one or more delivery networks described above. Each of the communication pathways may include, for example, a wired, wireless, cable or satellite communication pathway.
  • The instant [0161] message host system 1610 may support instant message services irrespective of an instant message sender's network or Internet access. Thus, the instant message host system 1610 may allow users to send and receive instant messages, regardless of whether they have access to any particular Internet service provider (ISP). The instant message host system 1610 also may support other services, including, for example, an account management service, a directory service, and a chat service. The instant message host system 1610 has an architecture that enables the devices (e.g., servers) within the instant message host system 1610 to communicate with each other. To transfer data, the instant message host system 1610 employs one or more standard or proprietary instant message protocols.
  • To access the instant [0162] message host system 1610 to begin an instant message session in the implementation of FIG. 16, the instant message sender system 1605 establishes a connection to the instant message host system 1610 over the communication link 1615. Once a connection to the instant message host system 1610 has been established, the instant message sender system 1605 may directly or indirectly transmit data to and access content from the instant message host system 1610. By accessing the instant message host system 1610, an instant message sender can use an instant message client application located on the instant message sender system 1605 to view whether particular users are online, view whether users may receive instant messages, exchange instant messages with particular instant message recipients, participate in group chat rooms, trade files such as pictures, invitations or documents, find other instant message recipients with similar interests, get customized information such as news and stock quotes, and search the Web. The instant message recipient system 1620 may be similarly manipulated to establish contemporaneous connection with instant message host system 1610.
  • Furthermore, the instant message sender may view or perceive an avatar and/or other aspects of an online persona associated with the instant message sender prior to engaging in communications with an instant message recipient. For example, certain aspects of an instant message recipient selected personality, such as an avatar chosen by the instant message recipient, may be perceivable through the buddy list itself prior to engaging in communications. Other aspects of a selected personality chosen by an instant message recipient may be made perceivable upon opening of a communication window by the instant message sender for a particular instant message recipient but prior to initiation of communications. For example, animations of an avatar associated with the instant message sender only may be viewable in a communication window, such as the [0163] user interface 100 of FIG. 1.
  • In one implementation, the instant messages sent between instant [0164] message sender system 1605 and instant message recipient system 1620 are routed through the instant message host system 1610. In another implementation, the instant messages sent between instant message sender system 1605 and instant message recipient system 1620 are routed through a third party server (not shown), and, in some cases, are also routed through the instant message host system 1610. In yet another implementation, the instant messages are sent directly between instant message sender system 1605 and instant message recipient system 1620.
  • The techniques, processes and concepts in this description may be implemented using [0165] communications system 1600. One or more of the processes may be implemented in a client/host context, a standalone or offline client context, or a combination thereof. For example, while some functions of one or more of the processes may be performed entirely by the instant message sender system 1605, other functions may be performed by host system 1610, or the collective operation of the instant message sender system 1605 and the host system 1610. By way of example, in process 300, the avatar of an instant message sender may be respectively selected and rendered by the standalone/offline device, and other aspects of the online persona of the instant message sender may be accessed or updated through a remote device in a non-client/host environment such as, for example, a LAN server serving an end user or a mainframe serving a terminal device.
  • FIG. 17 illustrates a [0166] communications system 1700 that includes an instant message sender system 1605, an instant message host system 1610, a communication link 1615, and an instant message recipient 1620. System 1700 illustrates another possible implementation of the communications system 1600 of FIG. 16 that is used for animating avatars used for self-expression by an instant message sender.
  • In contrast to the depiction of the instant [0167] message host system 1610 in FIG. 16, the instant message host system 1610 includes a login server 1770 for enabling access by instant message senders and routing communications between the instant message sender system 1605 and other elements of the instant message host system 1610. The instant message host system 1610 also includes an instant message server 1790. To enable access to and facilitate interactions with the instant message host system 1610, the instant message sender system 1605 and the instant message recipient system 1620 may include communication software, such as for example, an online service provider client application and/or an instant message client application.
  • In one implementation, the instant [0168] message sender system 1605 establishes a connection to the login server 1770 in order to access the instant message host system 1610 and begin an instant message session. The login server 1770 typically determines whether the particular instant message sender is authorized to access the instant message host system 1610 by verifying the instant message sender's identification and password. If the instant message sender is authorized to access the instant message host system 1610, the login server 1770 usually employs a hashing technique on the instant message sender's screen name to identify a particular instant message server 1790 within the instant message host system 1610 for use during the instant message sender's session. The login server 1770 provides the instant message sender (e.g., instant message sender system 1605) with the Internet protocol (“IP”) address of the instant message server 1790, gives the instant message sender system 1605 an encrypted key, and breaks the connection. The instant message sender system 1605 then uses the IP address to establish a connection to the particular instant message server 1790 through the communications link 1615, and obtains access to the instant message server 1790 using the encrypted key. Typically, the instant message sender system 1605 will be able to establish an open TCP connection to the instant message server 1790. The instant message recipient system 1620 establishes a connection to the instant message host system 1610 in a similar manner.
  • In one implementation, the instant [0169] message host system 1610 also includes a user profile server (not shown) connected to a database (not shown) for storing large amounts of user profile data. The user profile server may be used to enter, retrieve, edit, manipulate, or otherwise process user profile data. In one implementation, an instant message sender's profile data includes, for example, the instant message sender's screen name, buddy list, identified interests, and geographic location. The instant message sender's profile data may also include self-expression items selected by the instant message sender. The instant message sender may enter, edit and/or delete profile data using an installed instant message client application on the instant message sender system 1705 to interact with the user profile server.
  • Because the instant message sender's data are stored in the instant [0170] message host system 1610, the instant message sender does not have to reenter or update such information in the event that the instant message sender accesses the instant message host system 1610 using a new or different instant message sender system 1605. Accordingly, when an instant message sender accesses the instant message host system 1610, the instant message server can instruct the user profile server to retrieve the instant message sender's profile data from the database and to provide, for example, the instant message sender's self-expression items and buddy list to the instant message server. Alternatively, user profile data may be saved locally on the instant message sender system 1605.
  • FIG. 18 illustrates another [0171] example communications system 1800 capable of exchanging communications between users that project avatars for self-expression. The communications system 1800 includes an instant message sender system 1605, an instant message host system 1610, a communications link 1615 and an instant message recipient system 1620.
  • The [0172] host system 1610 includes instant messaging server software 1832 routing communications between the instant message sender system 1605 and the instant message recipient system 1620. The instant messaging server software 1832 may make use of user profile data 1834. The user profile data 1834 includes indications of self-expression items selected by an instant message sender. The user profile data 1834 also includes associations 1834 a of avatar models with users (e.g., instant message senders). The user profile data 1834 may be stored, for example, in a database or another type of data collection, such as a series of extensible mark-up language (XML) files. In some implementations, the some portions of the user profile data 1834 may be stored in a database while other portions, such as associations 1834 a of avatar models with users, may be stored in an XML file.
  • One implementation of [0173] user profile data 1834 appears in the table below. In this example, the user profile data includes a screen name to uniquely identify the user for whom the user profile data applies, a password for signing-on to the instant message service, an avatar associated with the user, and an optional online persona. As shown in Table 1, a user may have multiple online personas, each associated with the same or a different avatar.
    TABLE 1
    Screen Name Password Avatar Online Persona
    Robert_Appleby 5846%JYNG Clam Work
    Robert_Appleby 5846%JYNG Starfish Casual
    Susan_Merit 6748#474V Dolphin
    Bill_Smith JHG7868$0 Starfish Casual
    Bill_Smith JHG7868$0 Starfish Family
    Greg_Jones 85775$#59 Frog
  • The [0174] host system 1610 also includes an avatar model repository 1835 in which definitions of avatars that may be used in the instant message service are stored. In this implementation, an avatar definition includes an avatar model file, an avatar expression file for storing instructions to control the animation of the avatar, and wallpaper file. Thus, the avatar model repository 1835 includes avatar model files 1836, avatar expression files 1837 and avatar wallpaper files 1838.
  • The avatar model files [0175] 1836 define the appearance and animations of each of the avatars included in the avatar model repository 1835. Each of the avatar model files 1836 defines the mesh, texture, lighting, sounds, and animations used to render an avatar. The mesh of a model file defines the form of the avatar, and the texture defines the image that covers the mesh. The mesh may be represented as a wire structure composed of a multitude of polygons that may be geometrically transformed to enable the display of an avatar to give the illusion of motion. In one implementation, lighting information of an avatar model file is in the form of a light map that portrays the effect of a light source on the avatar. The avatar model file also includes multiple animation identifiers. Each animation identifier identifies a particular animation that may be played for the avatar. For example, each animation identifier may identify one or more morph targets to describe display changes to transform the mesh of an avatar and display changes in the camera perspective used to display the avatar.
  • When an instant message user projects an avatar self-expression, it may be desirable to define an avatar with multiple animations, including facial animations, to provide more types of animations usable by the user for self-expression. Additionally, it may be desirable for facial animations to use a larger number of blend shapes, which may result in an avatar that, when rendered, may appears more expressive. A blend shape defines a portion of the avatar that may be animated and, in general, the more blend shapes that are defined for an animation model, the more expressive the image rendered from the animation model may appear. [0176]
  • Various data management techniques may be used to implement the avatar model files. In some implementations, information to define an avatar may be stored in multiple avatar files that may be arranged in a hierarchical structure, such as a directory structure. In such a case, the association between a user and an avatar may be made through an association of the user with the root file in a directory of model files for the avatar. [0177]
  • In one implementation, an avatar model file may include all possible appearances of an avatar, including different features and props that are available for user-customization. In such a case, user preferences for the appearance of the user's avatar include indications of which portions of the avatar model are to be displayed, and flags or other indications for each optional appearance feature or prop may be set to indicate whether the feature or prop is to be displayed. By way of example, an avatar model may be configured to display sunglasses, reading glasses, short hair and long hair. When a user configures the avatar to wear sunglasses and have long hair, the sunglasses feature and long hair features are turned on, the reading glasses and short hair features are turned off, and subsequent renderings of the avatar display the avatar having long hair and sunglasses. [0178]
  • The [0179] avatar model repository 1835 also includes avatar expression files 1837. Each of the avatar expression files 1837 defines triggers that cause animations in the avatars. For example, each of the avatar expression files 1837 may define the text triggers that cause an of animation when the text trigger is identified in an instant message, as previously described with respect to FIGS. 3 and 4. An avatar expression file also may store associations between out-of-band communication indicators and animations that are played when a particular out-of-band communication indicator is detected. One example of a portion of an avatar expression file is depicted in Table 2 below.
    TABLE 2
    OUT-OF-BAND
    ANIMATION COMMUNICATION
    TYPE TRIGGERS INDICATORS
    SMILE :) :-) Nice
    GONE AWAY bye brb cu gtg cul bbl gg b4n Instruction to shut
    ttyl ttfn down computer
    SLEEP zzz tired sleepy snooze Time is between 1 a.m.
    and 5 a.m.
    WINTER Date is between
    CLOTHES November 1 and
    March 1
    RAIN Weather is rain
    SNOW Weather is snow
  • In some implementations, the association between a particular animation for a particular animation identifier is indirectly determined for a particular trigger or out-of-band communication indicator. For example, a particular trigger or out-of-band communication indicator may be associated with a type of animation (such as a smile, gone away, or sleep), as illustrated in Table 2. A type of animation also may be associated with a particular animation identifier included in a particular avatar model file, as illustrated in Table 3 below. In such a case, to play an animation based on a particular trigger or out-of-band communication indicator, the type of animation is identified, the animation identifier associated with the identified type of animation is determined, and the animation identified by the animation identifier is played. Other computer animation and programming techniques also may be used. For example, each avatar may use the same animation identifier for a particular animation type rather than including the avatar name shown in the table. Alternatively or additionally, the association of animation types and animation identifiers may be stored separately for each avatar. [0180]
    TABLE 3
    ANIMATION
    ANIMATION TYPE IDENTIFIER AVATAR NAME
    SMILE 1304505 DOLPHIN
    SMILE 5858483 FROG
    GONE AWAY 4848484 DOLPHIN
  • The avatar expression files [0181] 1837 also include information to define the way that an avatar responds to an animation of another avatar. In one implementation, an avatar expression file includes pairs of animation identifiers. One of the animation identifiers in each pair identifies a type of animation that, when the type of animation is played for one avatar, triggers an animation that is identified by the other animation identifier in the pair in another avatar. In this manner, the avatar expression file may define an animation played for an instant message recipient's avatar in response to an animation played by an instant message sender's avatar. In some implementations, the avatar expression files 1837 may include XML files having elements for defining the text triggers for each of the animations of the corresponding avatar and elements for defining the animations that are played in response to animations seen from other avatars.
  • The [0182] avatar model repository 1835 also includes avatar wallpaper files 1838 that define the wallpaper over which an avatar is drawn. The wallpaper may be defined using the same or different type of file structure as the avatar model files. For example, an avatar model file may be defined as an animation model file that is generated and playable using animation software from Viewpoint Corporation of New York, N.Y., whereas the wallpaper files may be in the form of a Macromedia Flash file that is generated and playable using animation software available from Macromedia, Inc. of San Francisco, Calif. When wallpaper includes animated objects that are triggered by an instant message, an out-of-band communication indicator or an animation of an avatar, the avatar wallpaper files 1838 also may include one or more triggers that are associated with the wallpaper animation.
  • Each of the instant [0183] message sender system 1605 and the instant message recipient system 1620 includes an instant messaging communication application 1807 or 1827 that capable of exchanging instant messages over the communications link 1615 with the instant message host system 1610. The instant messaging communication application 1807 or 1827 also may be referred to as an instant messaging client.
  • Each of the instant [0184] message sender system 1605 and the instant message recipient system 1620 also includes avatar data 1808 or 1828. The avatar data 1808 or 1828 include avatar model files 1808 a or 1828 a, avatar expression files 1808 b or 1828 b, and avatar wallpaper files 1808 c or 1828 c for the avatars that are capable of being rendered by the instant message sender system 1605 or the instant message recipient system 1620, respectively. The avatar data 1808 or 1828 may be stored in persistent storage, transient storage, or stored using a combination of persistent and transient storage. When all or some of the avatar data 1808 or 1828 is stored in persistent storage, it may be useful to associate a predetermined date on which some or all of the avatar data 1808 or 1828 is to be deleted from the instant message sender system 1605 or the instant message recipient system 1620, respectively. In this manner, avatar data may be removed from the instant message sender system 1605 or the instant message recipient system 1620 after the data has resided on the instant message sender system 1605 or 1620 for a predetermined period of time and presumably is no longer needed. This may help reduce the amount of storage space used for instant messaging on the instant message sender system 1605 or the instant message recipient system 1620.
  • In one implementation, the [0185] avatar data 1808 or 1828 is installed on the instant message sender system 1605 or the instant message recipient system 1620, respectively, with the instant messaging client software installed on the instant message sender system 1605 or the instant message recipient system 1620. In another implementation, the avatar data 1808 or 1828 is transmitted to the instant message sender system 1605 or the instant message recipient system 1620, respectively, from the avatar model repository 1835 of the instant messaging host system 1610. In yet another implementation, the avatar data 1808 or 1828 is copied from a source unrelated to instant messaging and stored for use as instant messaging avatars on the instant message sender system 1605 or the instant message recipient system 1620, respectively. In yet another implementation, the avatar data 1808 or 1828 is sent to the instant message sender system 1605 or the instant message recipient system 1620, respectively, with or incident to instant messages sent to the instant message sender system 1605 or the instant message recipient system 1620. The avatar data sent with an instant message corresponds to the instant message sender that sent the message.
  • The avatar expression files [0186] 1808 b or 1828 b are used to determine when an avatar is to be rendered on the instant message sender system 1605 or the instant message recipient 1620, respectively. To render an avatar, one of the avatar model files 1808 a is displayed on the two-dimensional display of the instant messaging system 1605 or 1620 by an avatar model player 1809 or 1829, respectively. In one implementation, the avatar model player 1808 or 1829 is an animation player by Viewpoint Corporation. More particularly, the processor of the instant messaging system 1605 or 1620 calls the avatar model player 1809 or 1829 and identifies an animation included in one of the avatar model files 1808 a or 1828 a. In general, the animation is identified by an animation identifier in the avatar model file. The avatar model player 1809 or 1829 then accesses the avatar model file and plays the identified animation.
  • In many cases multiple animations may be played based on a single trigger or out-of-band communications indicator. This may occur, for example, when one avatar reacts to an animation of another avatar that is animated based on a text trigger, as described previously with respect to FIG. 6. [0187]
  • In the [0188] system 1800, four animations may be separately initiated based on a text trigger in one instant message. An instant message sender projecting a self-expressive avatar uses instant message sender system 1605 to sends a text message to an instant message recipient using instant message recipient system 1620. The instant message recipient also is projecting a self-expressive avatar. The display of the instant message sender system 1605 shows an instant message user interface, such as user interface 100 of FIG. 1, as does the display of instant message recipient system 1620. Thus, the sender avatar is shown on both the instant message sender system 1605 and the instant message recipient system 1620, as is the recipient avatar. The instant message sent from instant message sender system includes a text trigger that causes the animation of the sender avatar on the instant message sender system 1605 and the sender avatar on the instant message recipient system 1620. In response to the animation of the sender avatar, the recipient avatar is animated, as described previously with respect to FIG. 6. The reactive animation of the recipient avatar occurs in both the recipient avatar displayed on the instant message sender system 1605 and the recipient avatar displayed on the instant message recipient system 1620.
  • In some implementations, an instant messaging user is permitted to customize one or more of the animation triggers or out-of-band communications indicators for avatar animations, wallpaper displayed for an avatar, triggers or out-of-band communications indicators for animating objects of the wallpaper, and the appearance of the avatar. In one implementation, a copy of an avatar model file, an expression file or a wallpaper file is made and the modifications of the user are stored in the copy of the avatar model file, an expression file or a wallpaper file. The copy that includes the modification is then associated with the user. Alternatively or additionally, only the changes—that is, the differences between the avatar before the modifications and the avatar after the modifications are made—are stored. In some implementations, different versions of the same avatar may be stored and associated with a user. This may enable a user to modify an avatar, use the modified avatar for a period of time, and then return to using a previous version of the avatar that does not include the modification. [0189]
  • In some implementations, the avatars from which a user may choose may be limited by the instant message service provider. This may be referred to as a closed implementation or a locked-down implementation. In such an implementation, the animations and triggers associated with each avatar within the closed set of avatars may be preconfigured. In some closed implementations, the user may customize the animations and/or triggers of a chosen avatar. For example, a user may include a favorite video clip as an animation of an avatar, and the avatar may be configured to play the video clip after certain text triggers appear in the messages sent by the user. In other closed implementations, the user is also prevented from adding animations to an avatar. [0190]
  • In some implementations, the set of avatars from which a user may choose is not limited by the instant message service provider, and the user may use an avatar other than an avatar provided by the instant message service provider. This may be referred to as an open implementation or an unlocked implementation. For example, an avatar usable in an instant message service may be created by a user using animation software provided by the instant message service provider, off-the-shelf computer animation software, or software tools provided by a third-party that are specialized for the creating avatars compatible with one or more instant message services. [0191]
  • In some implementations, a combination of a closed-implementation and an open-implementation may be used. For example, an instant message service provider may limit the selection by users who are minors to a set of predetermined avatars provided by the instant message service provider while permitting users who are adults to use an avatar other than an avatar available from the instant message service provider. [0192]
  • In some implementations, the avatars from which a user may select may be limited based on a user characteristic, such as age. As illustrated in Table 4 below and using the avatars shown in FIG. 8 only as an example, a user who is under the age of 10 may be limited to one group of avatars. A user who is between 10 and 18 may be limited to a different group of avatars, some of which are the same as the avatars selectable by users under the age of 10. A user who is 18 or older may select from any avatar available from the instant message provider service. [0193]
    TABLE 4
    USER AGE AVATAR NAMES
    Less than age 10 Sheep, Cow, Dolphin, Happy, Starfish,
    Dragon, Polly
    Age 10 to 18 Sheep, Cow, Dolphin, Happy, Starfish,
    Dragon, Polly, Robot, Frog, T-Rex,
    Parrot, Boxing Glove, Snake, Monster,
    Parrot
    Age 18 or older Sheep, Cow, Dolphin, Happy, Starfish,
    Dragon, Polly, Robot, Frog, T-Rex,
    Parrot, Boxing Glove, Snake, Monster,
    Parrot, Lips, Pirate Skull
  • Instant messaging programs typically allow instant message senders to communicate in real-time with each other in a variety of ways. For example, many instant messaging programs allow instant message senders to send text as an instant message, to transfer files, and to communicate by voice. Examples of instant messaging communication applications include AIM (America Online Instant Messenger), AOL (America Online) Buddy List and Instant Messages which is an aspect of many client communication applications provided by AOL, Yahoo Messenger, MSN Messenger, and ICQ, among others. Although discussed above primarily with respect to instant message applications, other implementations are contemplated for providing similar functionality in platforms and online applications. For example, the techniques and concepts may be applied to an animated avatar that acts as an information assistant to convey news, weather, and other information to a user of a computer system or a computing device. [0194]
  • The techniques and concepts generally have been described in the context of an instant messaging system that uses an instant messaging host system to facilitate the instant messaging communication between instant message senders and instant message recipients. Other instant message implementations are contemplated, such as an instant message service in which instant messages are exchanged directly between an instant message sender system and an instant message recipient system. [0195]
  • Other implementations are within the scope of the following claims. [0196]

Claims (72)

What is claimed is:
1. A method for communicating, the method comprising:
graphically representing, with an avatar capable of being animated, a first user in a communication session involving the first user and a second user;
communicating a message between the first user and the second user, the message conveying explicit information from the first user to the second user; and
communicating out-of-band information to the second user using a change in the avatar appearance or avatar animation as a communication conduit,
wherein the out-of-band communication comprises a communication that is related to a context of the first user and that differs from the information conveyed in the message sent between the first user and the second user.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication session is an instant messaging communication session.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the avatar comprises a facial animation that does not include a body having an ear or a leg.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the avatar comprises a facial animation, including a neck, that does not include a body having an ear or a leg.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the out-of-band information comprises information indicating an environmental condition associated with the first user.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the environmental condition comprises an environmental condition related to weather occurring in a geographic location near the first user.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the out-of-band information comprises information indicating a personality characteristic associated with the first user.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the out-of-band information comprises information indicating an emotional state associated with the first user.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the out-of-band information comprises information indicating a setting characteristic associated with the first user.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the setting characteristic comprises a characteristic related to time of day of the first user.
11. The method of claim 9 wherein the setting characteristic comprises a characteristic related to time of year.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the time of year comprises a holiday.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein the time of year comprises a season wherein the season is one of spring, summer, fall or winter.
14. The method of claim 9 wherein the setting characteristic comprises a characteristic associated with a work setting.
15. The method of claim 9 wherein the setting characteristic comprises a characteristic associated with a recreation setting.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the recreation setting comprises a beach setting or a tropical setting.
17. The method of claim 15 wherein the recreation setting comprises a winter sport setting.
18. The method of claim 1 wherein out-of-band information comprises information related to a mood of the first user.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the mood of the first user comprises one of happy, sad or angry.
20. The method of claim 1 wherein out-of-band information comprises information associated with an activity of the first user.
21. The method of claim 20 wherein the activity is being performed by the first user at substantially the same time that the out-of-band message is communicated from the first user to the second user.
22. The method of claim 21 wherein the activity comprises one of working or listening to music.
23. The method of claim 5 wherein out-of-band information comprises information conveying that the first user has muted sounds associated with the avatar.
24. The method of claim 1 further comprising triggering, based on the information conveyed in the message from the first user to the second user, an animation of the avatar to convey the out-of-band information from the first user to the second user.
25. The method of claim 24 wherein the trigger comprises a portion of text.
26. The method of claim 24 wherein the trigger comprises all of the text of the message.
27. The method of claim 24 wherein the trigger comprises an audio portion of the message.
28. The method of claim 24 wherein the trigger comprises passing a predetermined amount of time during which the first user does not communicate a message to the second user.
29. The method of claim 24 wherein the trigger comprises passing a predetermined amount of time during which the first user does not use a computing device that is used by the first user to communicate with the second user in the communication session.
30. The method of claim 1 wherein the avatar animation used as the communication conduit comprises a facial expression of the avatar.
31. The method of claim 1 wherein the avatar animation used as the communication conduit comprises a gesture made by a hand of the avatar or a gesture made by an arm of the avatar.
32. The method of claim 1 wherein the avatar animation used as the communication conduit comprises movement of a body of the avatar.
33. The method of claim 1 wherein the avatar animation used as the communication conduit comprises sounds made by the avatar.
34. The method of claim 33 wherein at least some of the sounds comprise a voice based on a voice of the first user.
35. The method of claim 1 wherein the avatar animation used as the communication conduit comprises a breakout animation that involves displaying avatar outside of normal display space occupied by the avatar
36. The method of claim 35 wherein the breakout animation comprises telescoping the avatar.
37. The method of claim 35 wherein the breakout animation comprises resizing the avatar.
38. The method of claim 35 wherein the breakout animation comprises repositioning the avatar.
39. The method of claim 1 further comprising
providing the first user with multiple preconfigured avatars having associated preselected animations; and
enabling the first user to select a particular avatar to represent the user in the communications session.
40. The method of claim 39 further comprising persistently associating the first user with the selected avatar to represent the first user in subsequent communication sessions.
41. The method of claim 39 further comprising enabling the first user to modify the appearance of the avatar.
42. The method of claim 41 wherein enabling the first user to modify the appearance of the avatar comprises enabling the first user to use a slide bar to indicate a particular modification of a particular feature of the avatar.
43. The method of claim 41 wherein enabling the first user to modify the appearance of the avatar comprises enabling the first user to modify appearance of the avatar to reflect a characteristic of the first user.
44. The method of claim 43 wherein the characteristic of the first user comprises one of age, gender, hair color, eye color, or a facial feature.
45. The method of claim 41 wherein enabling the first user to modify the appearance of the avatar comprises enabling the first user to modify appearance of the avatar by adding, changing or deleting a prop displayed with the avatar.
46. The method of claim 45 wherein the prop comprises one of eyeglasses, sunglasses, a hat, or earrings.
47. The method of claim 1 further comprising enabling the first user to modify a trigger used to cause an animation of the avatar.
48. The method of claim 47 wherein the trigger comprises text included in the message sent from the first user to the second user.
49. The method of claim 1 further comprising animating the avatar for use as an information assistant to convey information to the first user.
50. The method of claim 1 further comprising enabling use of the avatar by an application other than a communications application.
51. The method of claim 50 wherein enabling use of the avatar by an application other than a communications application comprises enabling use of the avatar in an online journal.
52. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying a depiction of the avatar in the form that is substantially similar to a trading card.
53. The method of claim 52 wherein the trading card depiction of the avatar comprises a trading card depiction of the avatar that includes characteristics associated with the first user.
54. A computer-readable medium or propagated signal having embodied thereon a computer program configured to communicate, the medium or signal comprising one or more code segments configured to:
graphically represent, with an avatar capable of being animated, a first user in a communication session involving the first user and a second user;
communicate a message between the first user and the second user, the message conveying explicit information from the first user to the second user; and
communicate out-of-band information to the second user using a change in the avatar appearance or avatar animation as a communication conduit,
wherein the out-of-band communication comprises a communication that is related to a context of the first user and that differs from the information conveyed in the message sent between the first user and the second user.
55. The medium of claim 54 wherein the communication session is an instant messaging communication session.
56. The medium of claim 54 wherein the out-of-band information comprises information indicating an environmental condition associated with the first user.
57. The medium of claim 54 wherein the out-of-band information comprises information indicating a personality characteristic associated with the first user.
58. The medium of claim 54 wherein the out-of-band information comprises information indicating an emotional state associated with the first user.
59. The medium of claim 54 wherein the out-of-band information comprises information indicating a setting characteristic associated with the first user.
60. The medium of claim 54 wherein out-of-band information comprises information related to a mood of the first user.
61. The medium of claim 54 wherein out-of-band information comprises information associated with an activity of the first user.
62. The medium of claim 54 further comprising enabling the first user to modify a trigger used to cause an animation of the avatar.
63. A system for communicating, the system comprising a processor connected to a storage device and one or more input/output devices, wherein the processor is configured to:
graphically represent, with an avatar capable of being animated, a first user in a communication session involving the first user and a second user;
communicate a message between the first user and the second user, the message conveying explicit information from the first user to the second user; and
communicate out-of-band information to the second user using a change in the avatar appearance or avatar animation as a communication conduit,
wherein the out-of-band communication comprises a communication that is related to a context of the first user and that differs from the information conveyed in the message sent between the first user and the second user.
64. The system of claim 63 wherein the communication session is an instant messaging communication session.
65. The system of claim 63 wherein the out-of-band information comprises information indicating an environmental condition associated with the first user.
66. The system of claim 63 wherein the out-of-band information comprises information indicating a personality characteristic associated with the first user.
67. The system of claim 63 wherein the out-of-band information comprises information indicating an emotional state associated with the first user.
68. The system of claim 63 wherein the out-of-band information comprises information indicating a setting characteristic associated with the first user.
69. The system of claim 63 wherein out-of-band information comprises information related to a mood of the first user.
70. The system of claim 63 wherein out-of-band information comprises information associated with an activity of the first user.
71. The system of claim 63 further comprising enabling the first user to modify a trigger used to cause an animation of the avatar.
72. A system for communicating, the system comprising:
means for graphically representing, with an avatar capable of being animated, a first user in a communication session involving the first user and a second user;
means for communicating a message between the first user and the second user, the message conveying explicit information from the first user to the second user; and
means for communicating out-of-band information to the second user using a change in the avatar appearance or avatar animation as a communication conduit,
wherein the out-of-band communication comprises a communication that is related to a context of the first user and that differs from the information conveyed in the message sent between the first user and the second user.
US10/747,652 2003-03-03 2003-12-30 Using avatars to communicate context out-of-band Abandoned US20040179037A1 (en)

Priority Applications (6)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US10/747,652 US20040179037A1 (en) 2003-03-03 2003-12-30 Using avatars to communicate context out-of-band
CA002517909A CA2517909A1 (en) 2003-03-03 2004-03-01 Using avatars to communicate
AU2004216758A AU2004216758A1 (en) 2003-03-03 2004-03-01 Using avatars to communicate
JP2006508976A JP2006520053A (en) 2003-03-03 2004-03-01 How to use an avatar to communicate
PCT/US2004/006284 WO2004079530A2 (en) 2003-03-03 2004-03-01 Using avatars to communicate
EP04716149A EP1599862A2 (en) 2003-03-03 2004-03-01 Using avatars to communicate

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US45066303P 2003-03-03 2003-03-03
US51285203P 2003-10-22 2003-10-22
US10/747,652 US20040179037A1 (en) 2003-03-03 2003-12-30 Using avatars to communicate context out-of-band

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20040179037A1 true US20040179037A1 (en) 2004-09-16

Family

ID=46205066

Family Applications (6)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US10/747,652 Abandoned US20040179037A1 (en) 2003-03-03 2003-12-30 Using avatars to communicate context out-of-band
US10/747,255 Abandoned US20040179039A1 (en) 2003-03-03 2003-12-30 Using avatars to communicate
US10/747,701 Expired - Fee Related US7484176B2 (en) 2003-03-03 2003-12-30 Reactive avatars
US12/266,690 Active 2025-08-09 US8402378B2 (en) 2003-03-03 2008-11-07 Reactive avatars
US13/846,738 Active 2026-04-28 US9483859B2 (en) 2003-03-03 2013-03-18 Reactive avatars
US15/229,824 Expired - Lifetime US10504266B2 (en) 2003-03-03 2016-08-05 Reactive avatars

Family Applications After (5)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US10/747,255 Abandoned US20040179039A1 (en) 2003-03-03 2003-12-30 Using avatars to communicate
US10/747,701 Expired - Fee Related US7484176B2 (en) 2003-03-03 2003-12-30 Reactive avatars
US12/266,690 Active 2025-08-09 US8402378B2 (en) 2003-03-03 2008-11-07 Reactive avatars
US13/846,738 Active 2026-04-28 US9483859B2 (en) 2003-03-03 2013-03-18 Reactive avatars
US15/229,824 Expired - Lifetime US10504266B2 (en) 2003-03-03 2016-08-05 Reactive avatars

Country Status (1)

Country Link
US (6) US20040179037A1 (en)

Cited By (71)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20030011643A1 (en) * 2000-02-18 2003-01-16 Minoru Nishihata Representation data control system, and representation data control device constituting it, and recording medium recording its program
US20050216529A1 (en) * 2004-01-30 2005-09-29 Ashish Ashtekar Method and apparatus for providing real-time notification for avatars
US20050248574A1 (en) * 2004-01-30 2005-11-10 Ashish Ashtekar Method and apparatus for providing flash-based avatars
US20060075053A1 (en) * 2003-04-25 2006-04-06 Liang Xu Method for representing virtual image on instant messaging tools
US20060077205A1 (en) * 2004-10-12 2006-04-13 Guymon Vernon M Iii Computer-implemented chat system having dual channel communications and self-defining product structures
US20070002057A1 (en) * 2004-10-12 2007-01-04 Matt Danzig Computer-implemented system and method for home page customization and e-commerce support
US20070005710A1 (en) * 2005-06-29 2007-01-04 Microsoft Corporation Message communication channel
US20070124387A1 (en) * 2005-11-22 2007-05-31 Yahoo! Inc. Previous communication updating in instant messaging
US20070188502A1 (en) * 2006-02-09 2007-08-16 Bishop Wendell E Smooth morphing between personal video calling avatars
US20080141138A1 (en) * 2006-12-06 2008-06-12 Yahoo! Inc. Apparatus and methods for providing a person's status
US7447996B1 (en) * 2008-02-28 2008-11-04 International Business Machines Corporation System for using gender analysis of names to assign avatars in instant messaging applications
US20090019366A1 (en) * 2007-07-12 2009-01-15 Fatdoor, Inc. Character expression in a geo-spatial environment
CN100456749C (en) * 2004-11-05 2009-01-28 腾讯科技(深圳)有限公司 Method and system for providing dynamic graphic display for user based on instantaneous communication platform
US20090037822A1 (en) * 2007-07-31 2009-02-05 Qurio Holdings, Inc. Context-aware shared content representations
US20090094368A1 (en) * 2007-10-08 2009-04-09 Steven Francis Best Instant messaging general queue depth management
US20090128567A1 (en) * 2007-11-15 2009-05-21 Brian Mark Shuster Multi-instance, multi-user animation with coordinated chat
US20090158175A1 (en) * 2007-12-12 2009-06-18 Jun Doi Communication support method, system, and server device
US20090276707A1 (en) * 2008-05-01 2009-11-05 Hamilton Ii Rick A Directed communication in a virtual environment
US20090282472A1 (en) * 2008-05-09 2009-11-12 Hamilton Ii Rick A Secure communication modes in a virtual universe
US20100082515A1 (en) * 2008-09-26 2010-04-01 Verizon Data Services, Llc Environmental factor based virtual communication systems and methods
US20100158232A1 (en) * 2008-12-23 2010-06-24 Nortel Networks Limited Accessing recorded conference content
US20100169800A1 (en) * 2008-12-30 2010-07-01 International Business Machines Corporation Controlling attribute expression within a virtual environment
CN1842005B (en) * 2005-03-28 2010-07-14 腾讯科技(深圳)有限公司 Method for realizing picture and words message show
US20100306686A1 (en) * 2007-09-28 2010-12-02 France Telecom Method for representing a user, and corresponding device and computer software product
US20100332827A1 (en) * 2008-12-02 2010-12-30 International Business Machines Corporation Creating and using secure communications channels for virtual universes
US7913176B1 (en) 2003-03-03 2011-03-22 Aol Inc. Applying access controls to communications with avatars
US7912793B1 (en) 2005-01-13 2011-03-22 Imvu, Inc. Computer-implemented method and apparatus to allocate revenue from a derived avatar component
US20110298810A1 (en) * 2009-02-18 2011-12-08 Nec Corporation Moving-subject control device, moving-subject control system, moving-subject control method, and program
US20110311144A1 (en) * 2010-06-17 2011-12-22 Microsoft Corporation Rgb/depth camera for improving speech recognition
CN102594723A (en) * 2012-03-31 2012-07-18 上海量明科技发展有限公司 Instant communication message window separation method and system
US8250144B2 (en) 2002-11-21 2012-08-21 Blattner Patrick D Multiple avatar personalities
US8261307B1 (en) 2007-10-25 2012-09-04 Qurio Holdings, Inc. Wireless multimedia content brokerage service for real time selective content provisioning
US8402378B2 (en) 2003-03-03 2013-03-19 Microsoft Corporation Reactive avatars
US20130104089A1 (en) * 2011-10-20 2013-04-25 Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. Gesture-based methods for interacting with instant messaging and event-based communication applications
US20130145261A1 (en) * 2006-04-05 2013-06-06 Research In Motion Limited Handheld electronic device and method for performing optimized spell checking during text entry by providing a sequentially ordered spell-check algorithms
US20130314405A1 (en) * 2012-05-22 2013-11-28 Commonwealth Scientific And Industrial Research Organisation System and method for generating a video
US20130342534A1 (en) * 2008-04-03 2013-12-26 Cisco Technology, Inc. Reactive virtual environment
US8620850B2 (en) 2010-09-07 2013-12-31 Blackberry Limited Dynamically manipulating an emoticon or avatar
WO2014057503A3 (en) * 2012-10-12 2014-07-03 Ankush Gupta Method and system for enabling communication between at least two communication devices using an animated character in real-time
US20140325667A1 (en) * 2013-04-25 2014-10-30 Xiao Sun Preventing identity fraud for instant messaging
GB2516241A (en) * 2013-07-15 2015-01-21 Michael James Levy Avatar creation system and method
WO2015122993A1 (en) * 2014-02-12 2015-08-20 Young Mark H Methods and apparatuses for animated messaging between messaging participants represented by avatar
US20150334447A1 (en) * 2008-10-01 2015-11-19 At&T Intellectual Property I, Lp Presentation of an avatar in a media communication system
US9215095B2 (en) 2002-11-21 2015-12-15 Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc Multiple personalities
US9256861B2 (en) 2003-03-03 2016-02-09 Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc Modifying avatar behavior based on user action or mood
US20160072737A1 (en) * 2014-09-04 2016-03-10 Microsoft Corporation App powered extensibility of messages on an existing messaging service
USD755225S1 (en) * 2014-06-30 2016-05-03 Aliphcom Display screen or portion thereof with animated graphical user interface
US20160253841A1 (en) * 2014-01-31 2016-09-01 Empire Technology Development, Llc Augmented reality skin evaluation
US9652809B1 (en) 2004-12-21 2017-05-16 Aol Inc. Using user profile information to determine an avatar and/or avatar characteristics
US20170206696A1 (en) * 2016-01-19 2017-07-20 Dreamworks Animation Llc Repurposing existing animated content
CN107004288A (en) * 2014-12-23 2017-08-01 英特尔公司 The animation of the face action driving of non-face feature
KR20170113614A (en) * 2015-02-10 2017-10-12 텐센트 테크놀로지(센젠) 컴퍼니 리미티드 Information processing method, terminal and computer readable storage medium
US20170358117A1 (en) * 2016-06-12 2017-12-14 Apple Inc. Customized Avatars and Associated Framework
US9865088B2 (en) 2014-01-31 2018-01-09 Empire Technology Development Llc Evaluation of augmented reality skins
US20180069815A1 (en) * 2016-09-02 2018-03-08 Bose Corporation Application-based messaging system using headphones
US9953462B2 (en) 2014-01-31 2018-04-24 Empire Technology Development Llc Augmented reality skin manager
US20180336716A1 (en) * 2017-05-16 2018-11-22 Apple Inc. Voice effects based on facial expressions
US10192359B2 (en) 2014-01-31 2019-01-29 Empire Technology Development, Llc Subject selected augmented reality skin
WO2019135881A1 (en) * 2018-01-02 2019-07-11 Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc Augmented and virtual reality for traversing group messaging constructs
US10425368B2 (en) 2015-02-11 2019-09-24 Tencent Technology (Shenzhen) Company Limited Information processing method, user equipment, server, and computer-readable storage medium
US20190304155A1 (en) * 2014-12-23 2019-10-03 Intel Corporation Augmented facial animation
US10586369B1 (en) * 2018-01-31 2020-03-10 Amazon Technologies, Inc. Using dialog and contextual data of a virtual reality environment to create metadata to drive avatar animation
US10592103B2 (en) * 2016-11-22 2020-03-17 Lg Electronics Inc. Mobile terminal and method for controlling the same
US10666920B2 (en) 2009-09-09 2020-05-26 Apple Inc. Audio alteration techniques
US10861210B2 (en) 2017-05-16 2020-12-08 Apple Inc. Techniques for providing audio and video effects
US10957088B2 (en) * 2014-07-31 2021-03-23 Emonster Inc. Customizable animations for text messages
US10990196B2 (en) 2016-06-02 2021-04-27 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd Screen output method and electronic device supporting same
DE102020100781A1 (en) * 2020-01-15 2021-07-15 Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft Method for providing and exchanging extended representations, in particular of modified vehicle avatars, computer-readable storage medium and system
US11303850B2 (en) 2012-04-09 2022-04-12 Intel Corporation Communication using interactive avatars
US11410642B2 (en) * 2019-08-16 2022-08-09 Soundhound, Inc. Method and system using phoneme embedding
US11887231B2 (en) 2015-12-18 2024-01-30 Tahoe Research, Ltd. Avatar animation system

Families Citing this family (504)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6832245B1 (en) 1999-12-01 2004-12-14 At&T Corp. System and method for analyzing communications of user messages to rank users and contacts based on message content
US7624172B1 (en) 2000-03-17 2009-11-24 Aol Llc State change alerts mechanism
CA2403520C (en) 2000-03-17 2008-06-03 America Online, Inc. Voice instant messaging
US9736209B2 (en) 2000-03-17 2017-08-15 Facebook, Inc. State change alerts mechanism
US9100221B2 (en) 2000-05-04 2015-08-04 Facebook, Inc. Systems for messaging senders and recipients of an electronic message
US9356894B2 (en) 2000-05-04 2016-05-31 Facebook, Inc. Enabled and disabled menu choices based on presence state
US6912564B1 (en) 2000-05-04 2005-06-28 America Online, Inc. System for instant messaging the sender and recipients of an e-mail message
US7979802B1 (en) 2000-05-04 2011-07-12 Aol Inc. Providing supplemental contact information corresponding to a referenced individual
US8132110B1 (en) 2000-05-04 2012-03-06 Aol Inc. Intelligently enabled menu choices based on online presence state in address book
US8122363B1 (en) 2000-05-04 2012-02-21 Aol Inc. Presence status indicator
US20130073648A1 (en) 2000-05-04 2013-03-21 Facebook, Inc. Presenting a recipient of an e-mail with an option to instant message a sender or another recipient based on the sender's or the other recipient's address and online status
US8001190B2 (en) 2001-06-25 2011-08-16 Aol Inc. Email integrated instant messaging
DE60144233D1 (en) 2000-07-25 2011-04-28 America Online Inc VIDEO COMMUNICATIONS
US7512652B1 (en) 2001-09-28 2009-03-31 Aol Llc, A Delaware Limited Liability Company Passive personalization of buddy lists
US7774711B2 (en) 2001-09-28 2010-08-10 Aol Inc. Automatic categorization of entries in a contact list
US7765484B2 (en) 2001-09-28 2010-07-27 Aol Inc. Passive personalization of lists
US7689649B2 (en) * 2002-05-31 2010-03-30 Aol Inc. Rendering destination instant messaging personalization items before communicating with destination
US7395329B1 (en) * 2002-05-13 2008-07-01 At&T Delaware Intellectual Property., Inc. Real-time notification of presence availability changes
US7353455B2 (en) 2002-05-21 2008-04-01 At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. Caller initiated distinctive presence alerting and auto-response messaging
US7685237B1 (en) * 2002-05-31 2010-03-23 Aol Inc. Multiple personalities in chat communications
US7275215B2 (en) 2002-07-29 2007-09-25 Cerulean Studios, Llc System and method for managing contacts in an instant messaging environment
US7370278B2 (en) * 2002-08-19 2008-05-06 At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. Redirection of user-initiated distinctive presence alert messages
AU2003287671A1 (en) 2002-11-18 2004-06-15 America Online, Inc. People lists
US7899862B2 (en) 2002-11-18 2011-03-01 Aol Inc. Dynamic identification of other users to an online user
US8965964B1 (en) 2002-11-18 2015-02-24 Facebook, Inc. Managing forwarded electronic messages
US8005919B2 (en) 2002-11-18 2011-08-23 Aol Inc. Host-based intelligent results related to a character stream
US7428580B2 (en) 2003-11-26 2008-09-23 Aol Llc Electronic message forwarding
US7640306B2 (en) 2002-11-18 2009-12-29 Aol Llc Reconfiguring an electronic message to effect an enhanced notification
US8122137B2 (en) 2002-11-18 2012-02-21 Aol Inc. Dynamic location of a subordinate user
US7590696B1 (en) 2002-11-18 2009-09-15 Aol Llc Enhanced buddy list using mobile device identifiers
US8701014B1 (en) 2002-11-18 2014-04-15 Facebook, Inc. Account linking
US7945674B2 (en) 2003-04-02 2011-05-17 Aol Inc. Degrees of separation for handling communications
US7949759B2 (en) 2003-04-02 2011-05-24 AOL, Inc. Degrees of separation for handling communications
US7263614B2 (en) 2002-12-31 2007-08-28 Aol Llc Implicit access for communications pathway
US7769811B2 (en) * 2003-03-03 2010-08-03 Aol Llc Instant messaging sound control
US7603417B2 (en) 2003-03-26 2009-10-13 Aol Llc Identifying and using identities deemed to be known to a user
US20040228531A1 (en) * 2003-05-14 2004-11-18 Microsoft Corporation Instant messaging user interfaces
US7124123B1 (en) * 2003-06-30 2006-10-17 America Online, Inc. Intelligent processing in the context of away and offline instant messages
US7653693B2 (en) 2003-09-05 2010-01-26 Aol Llc Method and system for capturing instant messages
JP3931889B2 (en) * 2003-08-19 2007-06-20 ソニー株式会社 Image display system, image display apparatus, and image display method
US7503006B2 (en) * 2003-09-25 2009-03-10 Microsoft Corporation Visual indication of current voice speaker
US7607097B2 (en) * 2003-09-25 2009-10-20 International Business Machines Corporation Translating emotion to braille, emoticons and other special symbols
US8489769B2 (en) * 2003-10-02 2013-07-16 Accenture Global Services Limited Intelligent collaborative expression in support of socialization of devices
KR20060126520A (en) 2003-11-27 2006-12-07 스마트 인터넷 테크놀로지 씨알씨 피티와이 엘티디 Systems and methods for communicatings
KR100481588B1 (en) * 2003-12-10 2005-04-08 주식회사 스타씨엠 A method for manufacuturing and displaying a real type 2d video information program including a video, a audio, a caption and a message information
US20050131744A1 (en) * 2003-12-10 2005-06-16 International Business Machines Corporation Apparatus, system and method of automatically identifying participants at a videoconference who exhibit a particular expression
US20050131697A1 (en) * 2003-12-10 2005-06-16 International Business Machines Corporation Speech improving apparatus, system and method
US20050138129A1 (en) * 2003-12-23 2005-06-23 Maria Adamczyk Methods and systems of responsive messaging
KR100720133B1 (en) * 2003-12-27 2007-05-18 삼성전자주식회사 Method for processing message using avatar in wireless phone
CA2551782A1 (en) * 2004-01-30 2005-08-11 Combots Product Gmbh & Co. Kg Method and system for telecommunication with the aid of virtual control representatives
US8635273B2 (en) 2004-03-05 2014-01-21 Aol Inc. Announcing new users of an electronic communications system to existing users
US7430720B2 (en) * 2004-03-05 2008-09-30 America Online, Inc. System and method for preventing screen-scrapers from extracting user screen names
US8595146B1 (en) 2004-03-15 2013-11-26 Aol Inc. Social networking permissions
US7363295B2 (en) * 2004-04-19 2008-04-22 Yahoo! Inc. Techniques for inline searching in an instant messenger environment
US7409384B2 (en) * 2004-04-19 2008-08-05 Yahoo! Inc. Integration of instant messaging with internet searching
US7555717B2 (en) * 2004-04-30 2009-06-30 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Method for displaying screen image on mobile terminal
US7921163B1 (en) 2004-07-02 2011-04-05 Aol Inc. Routing and displaying messages for multiple concurrent instant messaging sessions involving a single online identity
JP2006041884A (en) * 2004-07-27 2006-02-09 Sony Corp Information processing apparatus and method therefor, recording medium and program
KR100456487B1 (en) * 2004-08-02 2004-11-09 엔에이치엔(주) personal icon providing system and method thereof
US20060041848A1 (en) * 2004-08-23 2006-02-23 Luigi Lira Overlaid display of messages in the user interface of instant messaging and other digital communication services
US20060041629A1 (en) * 2004-08-23 2006-02-23 Luigi Lira Magnification of incoming and outgoing messages in the user interface of instant messaging and other digital communication services
KR20060047890A (en) 2004-10-01 2006-05-18 삼성전자주식회사 Device and method for displaying event in wireless terminal
WO2006038779A1 (en) * 2004-10-01 2006-04-13 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Device and method for displaying event in wireless terminal
US7668515B2 (en) * 2004-10-06 2010-02-23 Comverse Ltd. Portable telephone for conveying real time walkie-talkie streaming audio-video
US20060085515A1 (en) * 2004-10-14 2006-04-20 Kevin Kurtz Advanced text analysis and supplemental content processing in an instant messaging environment
US20060089147A1 (en) * 2004-10-21 2006-04-27 Beaty Robert M Mobile network infrastructure for applications, personalized user interfaces, and services
EP1803277A1 (en) * 2004-10-22 2007-07-04 Vidiator Enterprises Inc. System and method for mobile 3d graphical messaging
US7730143B1 (en) 2004-12-01 2010-06-01 Aol Inc. Prohibiting mobile forwarding
US9002949B2 (en) 2004-12-01 2015-04-07 Google Inc. Automatically enabling the forwarding of instant messages
US20060168204A1 (en) * 2004-12-01 2006-07-27 Barry Appelman Mobile blocking indicators on a contact list
US8060566B2 (en) 2004-12-01 2011-11-15 Aol Inc. Automatically enabling the forwarding of instant messages
US9083798B2 (en) 2004-12-22 2015-07-14 Nuance Communications, Inc. Enabling voice selection of user preferences
US7356567B2 (en) * 2004-12-30 2008-04-08 Aol Llc, A Delaware Limited Liability Company Managing instant messaging sessions on multiple devices
US7921369B2 (en) 2004-12-30 2011-04-05 Aol Inc. Mood-based organization and display of instant messenger buddy lists
US20060150104A1 (en) * 2004-12-31 2006-07-06 Luigi Lira Display of user selected digital artworks as embellishments of a graphical user interface
US20060161631A1 (en) * 2005-01-18 2006-07-20 Luigi Lira Revisions of already sent messages in an instant messaging communication
US7783708B2 (en) * 2005-01-27 2010-08-24 Microsoft Corporation Attachment browser
US20060195363A1 (en) * 2005-02-25 2006-08-31 Microsoft Corporation Persistent object for online activities
DE102005014772A1 (en) * 2005-03-31 2006-10-05 Siemens Ag Display method for showing the image of communication participant in communication terminal, involves using face animation algorithm to process determined facial coordinates of image to form animated image of calling subscriber
US7353034B2 (en) 2005-04-04 2008-04-01 X One, Inc. Location sharing and tracking using mobile phones or other wireless devices
US20060248185A1 (en) * 2005-04-29 2006-11-02 Morris Robert P System and method for utilizing a presence service to advertise activity availability
US7765265B1 (en) 2005-05-11 2010-07-27 Aol Inc. Identifying users sharing common characteristics
US7606580B2 (en) 2005-05-11 2009-10-20 Aol Llc Personalized location information for mobile devices
JP3974624B2 (en) * 2005-05-27 2007-09-12 松下電器産業株式会社 Display device
US7567553B2 (en) 2005-06-10 2009-07-28 Swift Creek Systems, Llc Method, system, and data structure for providing a general request/response messaging protocol using a presence protocol
US8090584B2 (en) * 2005-06-16 2012-01-03 Nuance Communications, Inc. Modifying a grammar of a hierarchical multimodal menu in dependence upon speech command frequency
US20060288309A1 (en) * 2005-06-16 2006-12-21 Cross Charles W Jr Displaying available menu choices in a multimodal browser
US7917365B2 (en) * 2005-06-16 2011-03-29 Nuance Communications, Inc. Synchronizing visual and speech events in a multimodal application
US20060294465A1 (en) * 2005-06-22 2006-12-28 Comverse, Inc. Method and system for creating and distributing mobile avatars
US20070055730A1 (en) * 2005-09-08 2007-03-08 Bagley Elizabeth V Attribute visualization of attendees to an electronic meeting
US8073700B2 (en) 2005-09-12 2011-12-06 Nuance Communications, Inc. Retrieval and presentation of network service results for mobile device using a multimodal browser
US20090144626A1 (en) * 2005-10-11 2009-06-04 Barry Appelman Enabling and exercising control over selected sounds associated with incoming communications
KR100751396B1 (en) * 2005-11-03 2007-08-23 엘지전자 주식회사 System and method for auto conversion emoticon of SMS in mobile terminal
US20070143415A1 (en) * 2005-12-15 2007-06-21 Daigle Brian K Customizable presence icons for instant messaging
US7831917B1 (en) * 2005-12-30 2010-11-09 Google Inc. Method, system, and graphical user interface for identifying and communicating with meeting spots
US7917866B1 (en) 2005-12-30 2011-03-29 Google Inc. Method, system, and graphical user interface for meeting-spot-related online communications
US8756501B1 (en) * 2005-12-30 2014-06-17 Google Inc. Method, system, and graphical user interface for meeting-spot-related introductions
US8171424B1 (en) 2005-12-30 2012-05-01 Google Inc. Method, system, and graphical user interface for meeting-spot maps for online communications
JP4722708B2 (en) * 2006-01-06 2011-07-13 株式会社コナミデジタルエンタテインメント Chat system, chat device, chat server control method, and program
JP4671880B2 (en) * 2006-01-31 2011-04-20 株式会社コナミデジタルエンタテインメント Chat system, chat device, chat server control method, and program
US20070192106A1 (en) * 2006-02-13 2007-08-16 Signal Match Inc. System and method for creating and using personality models for user interactions in a social network
US7836400B2 (en) * 2006-03-31 2010-11-16 Research In Motion Limited Snooze support for event reminders
US7627828B1 (en) * 2006-04-12 2009-12-01 Google Inc Systems and methods for graphically representing users of a messaging system
US8015245B2 (en) * 2006-04-24 2011-09-06 Microsoft Corporation Personalized information communications
US7636779B2 (en) * 2006-04-28 2009-12-22 Yahoo! Inc. Contextual mobile local search based on social network vitality information
EP2016562A4 (en) * 2006-05-07 2010-01-06 Sony Computer Entertainment Inc Method for providing affective characteristics to computer generated avatar during gameplay
US9208785B2 (en) 2006-05-10 2015-12-08 Nuance Communications, Inc. Synchronizing distributed speech recognition
US7848314B2 (en) * 2006-05-10 2010-12-07 Nuance Communications, Inc. VOIP barge-in support for half-duplex DSR client on a full-duplex network
DE102006024449A1 (en) * 2006-05-24 2007-11-29 Combots Product Gmbh & Co. Kg Transmission of messages using animated communication elements
US8166418B2 (en) * 2006-05-26 2012-04-24 Zi Corporation Of Canada, Inc. Device and method of conveying meaning
US8332218B2 (en) 2006-06-13 2012-12-11 Nuance Communications, Inc. Context-based grammars for automated speech recognition
US7676371B2 (en) * 2006-06-13 2010-03-09 Nuance Communications, Inc. Oral modification of an ASR lexicon of an ASR engine
US20070300183A1 (en) * 2006-06-21 2007-12-27 Nokia Corporation Pop-up notification for an incoming message
CN101506859A (en) * 2006-07-12 2009-08-12 医疗网络世界公司 Computerized medical training system
US8271902B1 (en) * 2006-07-20 2012-09-18 Adobe Systems Incorporated Communication of emotions with data
US8464177B2 (en) * 2006-07-26 2013-06-11 Roy Ben-Yoseph Window resizing in a graphical user interface
US7702731B2 (en) * 2006-08-17 2010-04-20 International Business Machines Corporation System, method and program for facilitating an electronic chat session
US8010474B1 (en) * 2006-09-05 2011-08-30 Aol Inc. Translating paralinguisitic indicators
US8726195B2 (en) 2006-09-05 2014-05-13 Aol Inc. Enabling an IM user to navigate a virtual world
US8374874B2 (en) 2006-09-11 2013-02-12 Nuance Communications, Inc. Establishing a multimodal personality for a multimodal application in dependence upon attributes of user interaction
US8145493B2 (en) 2006-09-11 2012-03-27 Nuance Communications, Inc. Establishing a preferred mode of interaction between a user and a multimodal application
US7957976B2 (en) 2006-09-12 2011-06-07 Nuance Communications, Inc. Establishing a multimodal advertising personality for a sponsor of a multimodal application
US8073697B2 (en) * 2006-09-12 2011-12-06 International Business Machines Corporation Establishing a multimodal personality for a multimodal application
US8086463B2 (en) 2006-09-12 2011-12-27 Nuance Communications, Inc. Dynamically generating a vocal help prompt in a multimodal application
US7561041B2 (en) * 2006-09-13 2009-07-14 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. Monitoring and entry system presence service
US20080077685A1 (en) * 2006-09-21 2008-03-27 Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation Dynamically configurable presence service
US8316117B2 (en) * 2006-09-21 2012-11-20 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. Personal presentity presence subsystem
US7782866B1 (en) 2006-09-29 2010-08-24 Qurio Holdings, Inc. Virtual peer in a peer-to-peer network
US20080091635A1 (en) * 2006-10-16 2008-04-17 International Business Machines Corporation Animated picker for slider bars and two-dimensional pickers
US7917154B2 (en) 2006-11-01 2011-03-29 Yahoo! Inc. Determining mobile content for a social network based on location and time
US8108501B2 (en) 2006-11-01 2012-01-31 Yahoo! Inc. Searching and route mapping based on a social network, location, and time
US10963648B1 (en) 2006-11-08 2021-03-30 Verizon Media Inc. Instant messaging application configuration based on virtual world activities
US8195749B2 (en) * 2006-11-13 2012-06-05 Bindu Rama Rao Questionnaire server capable of providing questionnaires based on device capabilities
US20080120558A1 (en) * 2006-11-16 2008-05-22 Paco Xander Nathan Systems and methods for managing a persistent virtual avatar with migrational ability
US9253183B2 (en) 2006-11-16 2016-02-02 Mark Stephen Meadows Systems and methods for authenticating an avatar
US8478250B2 (en) 2007-07-30 2013-07-02 Bindu Rama Rao Interactive media management server
US10803474B2 (en) 2006-11-22 2020-10-13 Qualtrics, Llc System for creating and distributing interactive advertisements to mobile devices
US11256386B2 (en) 2006-11-22 2022-02-22 Qualtrics, Llc Media management system supporting a plurality of mobile devices
US8026918B1 (en) 2006-11-22 2011-09-27 Aol Inc. Controlling communications with proximate avatars in virtual world environment
US8700014B2 (en) 2006-11-22 2014-04-15 Bindu Rama Rao Audio guided system for providing guidance to user of mobile device on multi-step activities
US7827033B2 (en) * 2006-12-06 2010-11-02 Nuance Communications, Inc. Enabling grammars in web page frames
US9330190B2 (en) 2006-12-11 2016-05-03 Swift Creek Systems, Llc Method and system for providing data handling information for use by a publish/subscribe client
US9338399B1 (en) * 2006-12-29 2016-05-10 Aol Inc. Configuring output controls on a per-online identity and/or a per-online resource basis
US8612230B2 (en) 2007-01-03 2013-12-17 Nuance Communications, Inc. Automatic speech recognition with a selection list
US8069047B2 (en) * 2007-02-12 2011-11-29 Nuance Communications, Inc. Dynamically defining a VoiceXML grammar in an X+V page of a multimodal application
US9530117B2 (en) * 2007-02-13 2016-12-27 International Business Machines Corporation Method and apparatus for transforming user requests and responses based on a persona
GB0703276D0 (en) 2007-02-20 2007-03-28 Skype Ltd Instant messaging activity notification
US8150698B2 (en) 2007-02-26 2012-04-03 Nuance Communications, Inc. Invoking tapered prompts in a multimodal application
US7801728B2 (en) 2007-02-26 2010-09-21 Nuance Communications, Inc. Document session replay for multimodal applications
US7849420B1 (en) 2007-02-26 2010-12-07 Qurio Holdings, Inc. Interactive content representations enabling content sharing
US9098167B1 (en) 2007-02-26 2015-08-04 Qurio Holdings, Inc. Layered visualization of content representations
US7840903B1 (en) 2007-02-26 2010-11-23 Qurio Holdings, Inc. Group content representations
US8938392B2 (en) 2007-02-27 2015-01-20 Nuance Communications, Inc. Configuring a speech engine for a multimodal application based on location
US20080208589A1 (en) * 2007-02-27 2008-08-28 Cross Charles W Presenting Supplemental Content For Digital Media Using A Multimodal Application
US8713542B2 (en) * 2007-02-27 2014-04-29 Nuance Communications, Inc. Pausing a VoiceXML dialog of a multimodal application
US7809575B2 (en) * 2007-02-27 2010-10-05 Nuance Communications, Inc. Enabling global grammars for a particular multimodal application
US9208783B2 (en) * 2007-02-27 2015-12-08 Nuance Communications, Inc. Altering behavior of a multimodal application based on location
US20080208594A1 (en) * 2007-02-27 2008-08-28 Cross Charles W Effecting Functions On A Multimodal Telephony Device
US7822608B2 (en) * 2007-02-27 2010-10-26 Nuance Communications, Inc. Disambiguating a speech recognition grammar in a multimodal application
US7840409B2 (en) * 2007-02-27 2010-11-23 Nuance Communications, Inc. Ordering recognition results produced by an automatic speech recognition engine for a multimodal application
GB0703974D0 (en) * 2007-03-01 2007-04-11 Sony Comp Entertainment Europe Entertainment device
US8843376B2 (en) 2007-03-13 2014-09-23 Nuance Communications, Inc. Speech-enabled web content searching using a multimodal browser
US7945851B2 (en) 2007-03-14 2011-05-17 Nuance Communications, Inc. Enabling dynamic voiceXML in an X+V page of a multimodal application
US8670987B2 (en) * 2007-03-20 2014-03-11 Nuance Communications, Inc. Automatic speech recognition with dynamic grammar rules
US8515757B2 (en) 2007-03-20 2013-08-20 Nuance Communications, Inc. Indexing digitized speech with words represented in the digitized speech
US8909532B2 (en) * 2007-03-23 2014-12-09 Nuance Communications, Inc. Supporting multi-lingual user interaction with a multimodal application
US8286086B2 (en) 2007-03-30 2012-10-09 Yahoo! Inc. On-widget data control
US8112501B2 (en) 2007-03-30 2012-02-07 Yahoo! Inc. Centralized registration for distributed social content services
US8788620B2 (en) 2007-04-04 2014-07-22 International Business Machines Corporation Web service support for a multimodal client processing a multimodal application
US8725513B2 (en) * 2007-04-12 2014-05-13 Nuance Communications, Inc. Providing expressive user interaction with a multimodal application
US8862475B2 (en) * 2007-04-12 2014-10-14 Nuance Communications, Inc. Speech-enabled content navigation and control of a distributed multimodal browser
US20080270586A1 (en) * 2007-04-30 2008-10-30 Yahoo! Inc. Association to communities
US8312108B2 (en) 2007-05-22 2012-11-13 Yahoo! Inc. Hot within my communities
EP1995909A1 (en) * 2007-05-25 2008-11-26 France Telecom Method for dynamically assessing the mood of an instant messaging user
US20080297515A1 (en) * 2007-05-30 2008-12-04 Motorola, Inc. Method and apparatus for determining the appearance of a character display by an electronic device
FR2917931A1 (en) * 2007-06-22 2008-12-26 France Telecom METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONNECTING PEOPLE IN A TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM.
US8260266B1 (en) 2007-06-26 2012-09-04 Qurio Holdings, Inc. Method and system for third-party discovery of proximity-based services
GB0712880D0 (en) * 2007-07-03 2007-08-08 Skype Ltd Instant messaging communication system and method
US20090019055A1 (en) * 2007-07-13 2009-01-15 Disney Enterprises, Inc. Method and system for replacing content displayed by an electronic device
US20090024708A1 (en) * 2007-07-20 2009-01-22 International Business Machines Corporation Instant messaging in a data processing system
US20090049392A1 (en) * 2007-08-17 2009-02-19 Nokia Corporation Visual navigation
US9111285B2 (en) 2007-08-27 2015-08-18 Qurio Holdings, Inc. System and method for representing content, user presence and interaction within virtual world advertising environments
US7945861B1 (en) * 2007-09-04 2011-05-17 Google Inc. Initiating communications with web page visitors and known contacts
US8086678B2 (en) 2007-09-24 2011-12-27 Zipit Wireless, Inc. Device centric controls for a device controlled through a web portal
US8606634B2 (en) * 2007-10-09 2013-12-10 Microsoft Corporation Providing advertising in a virtual world
US8600779B2 (en) 2007-10-09 2013-12-03 Microsoft Corporation Advertising with an influential participant in a virtual world
US20090288007A1 (en) * 2008-04-05 2009-11-19 Social Communications Company Spatial interfaces for realtime networked communications
US9357025B2 (en) 2007-10-24 2016-05-31 Social Communications Company Virtual area based telephony communications
US8397168B2 (en) * 2008-04-05 2013-03-12 Social Communications Company Interfacing with a spatial virtual communication environment
US7769806B2 (en) 2007-10-24 2010-08-03 Social Communications Company Automated real-time data stream switching in a shared virtual area communication environment
US8930472B2 (en) 2007-10-24 2015-01-06 Social Communications Company Promoting communicant interactions in a network communications environment
US9009603B2 (en) * 2007-10-24 2015-04-14 Social Communications Company Web browser interface for spatial communication environments
US8407605B2 (en) 2009-04-03 2013-03-26 Social Communications Company Application sharing
US8930815B2 (en) * 2007-11-07 2015-01-06 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. Methods, systems and computer readable media for creating a virtual agent
US20090125806A1 (en) * 2007-11-13 2009-05-14 Inventec Corporation Instant message system with personalized object and method thereof
US20090132361A1 (en) * 2007-11-21 2009-05-21 Microsoft Corporation Consumable advertising in a virtual world
US20090149205A1 (en) * 2007-12-10 2009-06-11 Zipit Wireless Inc. System And Method For Regulating Data Messaging Between A Wireless Device And A Mobile Communication Device Using Short Message Service
US8527334B2 (en) * 2007-12-27 2013-09-03 Microsoft Corporation Advertising revenue sharing
CN101493912A (en) * 2008-01-23 2009-07-29 阿里巴巴集团控股有限公司 Management method for shop on net, system and instant communication system
US8719077B2 (en) * 2008-01-29 2014-05-06 Microsoft Corporation Real world and virtual world cross-promotion
US8584024B2 (en) * 2008-02-01 2013-11-12 International Business Machines Corporation Avatar cloning in a virtual world
US20090210301A1 (en) * 2008-02-14 2009-08-20 Microsoft Corporation Generating customized content based on context data
US20090219291A1 (en) * 2008-02-29 2009-09-03 David Brian Lloyd Movie animation systems
US7824253B2 (en) * 2008-04-02 2010-11-02 Thompson Scott Edward System and method for providing real world value in a virtual world environment
KR101527993B1 (en) 2008-04-05 2015-06-10 소우셜 커뮤니케이션즈 컴퍼니 Shared virtual area communication environment based apparatus and methods
US7818373B2 (en) * 2008-04-08 2010-10-19 International Business Machines Corporation Notifying co-recipients of others currently replying to communications
US20090259948A1 (en) * 2008-04-15 2009-10-15 Hamilton Ii Rick A Surrogate avatar control in a virtual universe
US9349367B2 (en) * 2008-04-24 2016-05-24 Nuance Communications, Inc. Records disambiguation in a multimodal application operating on a multimodal device
US8214242B2 (en) * 2008-04-24 2012-07-03 International Business Machines Corporation Signaling correspondence between a meeting agenda and a meeting discussion
US8121837B2 (en) * 2008-04-24 2012-02-21 Nuance Communications, Inc. Adjusting a speech engine for a mobile computing device based on background noise
US8229081B2 (en) * 2008-04-24 2012-07-24 International Business Machines Corporation Dynamically publishing directory information for a plurality of interactive voice response systems
US8082148B2 (en) 2008-04-24 2011-12-20 Nuance Communications, Inc. Testing a grammar used in speech recognition for reliability in a plurality of operating environments having different background noise
US20090300525A1 (en) * 2008-05-27 2009-12-03 Jolliff Maria Elena Romera Method and system for automatically updating avatar to indicate user's status
US11571623B2 (en) 2008-06-02 2023-02-07 Nike, Inc. System and method for creating an avatar
JP5129390B2 (en) * 2008-06-02 2013-01-30 ナイキ インターナショナル リミテッド System and method for creating an avatar
US20090327168A1 (en) * 2008-06-26 2009-12-31 Yahoo! Inc. Playful incentive for labeling content
US9678940B2 (en) * 2008-07-22 2017-06-13 International Business Machines Corporation Location/event based dictionaries to facilitate communication in a virtual world location
US8677254B2 (en) * 2008-07-24 2014-03-18 International Business Machines Corporation Discerning and displaying relationships between avatars
US8548503B2 (en) 2008-08-28 2013-10-01 Aol Inc. Methods and system for providing location-based communication services
US20100070858A1 (en) * 2008-09-12 2010-03-18 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. Interactive Media System and Method Using Context-Based Avatar Configuration
JP5103343B2 (en) * 2008-09-30 2012-12-19 任天堂株式会社 Information processing program and information processing apparatus
WO2010042773A1 (en) * 2008-10-09 2010-04-15 Wms Gaming, Inc. Controlling and presenting virtual wagering game environments
US20100115426A1 (en) * 2008-11-05 2010-05-06 Yahoo! Inc. Avatar environments
US8560955B2 (en) * 2008-11-20 2013-10-15 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. System and method for bridging communication services between virtual worlds and the real world
KR20130010911A (en) 2008-12-05 2013-01-29 소우셜 커뮤니케이션즈 컴퍼니 Realtime kernel
US9741147B2 (en) * 2008-12-12 2017-08-22 International Business Machines Corporation System and method to modify avatar characteristics based on inferred conditions
US9075901B2 (en) 2008-12-15 2015-07-07 International Business Machines Corporation System and method to visualize activities through the use of avatars
US20100162138A1 (en) * 2008-12-23 2010-06-24 At&T Mobility Ii Llc Conversation bubbles including visual cues for threaded messaging applications
US20100162149A1 (en) * 2008-12-24 2010-06-24 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. Systems and Methods to Provide Location Information
US9853922B2 (en) 2012-02-24 2017-12-26 Sococo, Inc. Virtual area communications
US9069851B2 (en) 2009-01-15 2015-06-30 Social Communications Company Client application integrating web browsing and network data stream processing for realtime communications
JP5690473B2 (en) 2009-01-28 2015-03-25 任天堂株式会社 Program and information processing apparatus
JP5229484B2 (en) * 2009-01-28 2013-07-03 任天堂株式会社 Information processing system, program, and information processing apparatus
JP5813912B2 (en) * 2009-01-28 2015-11-17 任天堂株式会社 Program, information processing apparatus, and information processing system
JP5527721B2 (en) * 2009-01-28 2014-06-25 任天堂株式会社 Program and information processing apparatus
US9105014B2 (en) 2009-02-03 2015-08-11 International Business Machines Corporation Interactive avatar in messaging environment
US20130017876A1 (en) * 2009-02-11 2013-01-17 John Koumbourlis Video game with behavior indicators and controller therefor with integrated display screen
US9633465B2 (en) * 2009-02-28 2017-04-25 International Business Machines Corporation Altering avatar appearances based on avatar population in a virtual universe
US8107942B2 (en) 2009-03-19 2012-01-31 Novell, Inc. Uninterrupted usage and access of physically unreachable managed handheld device
US9100435B2 (en) 2009-04-02 2015-08-04 International Business Machines Corporation Preferred name presentation in online environments
US20100262924A1 (en) * 2009-04-08 2010-10-14 Kalu Onuka Kalu System and method for linking items to a group
US8755372B2 (en) * 2009-04-27 2014-06-17 Five9, Inc. Secure customer service proxy portal
US9898675B2 (en) * 2009-05-01 2018-02-20 Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc User movement tracking feedback to improve tracking
US8788943B2 (en) * 2009-05-15 2014-07-22 Ganz Unlocking emoticons using feature codes
US10135630B2 (en) 2009-05-19 2018-11-20 Xerox Corporation System and method for coupling a wireless device to social networking services and a mobile communication device
US10826718B2 (en) 2009-05-19 2020-11-03 Xerox Corporation System and method for coupling a digital appliance to a monitoring service
US10740745B2 (en) 2009-05-19 2020-08-11 Zipit Wireless, Inc. System and method for coupling a wireless device to social networking services and a mobile communication device
US20100306084A1 (en) * 2009-05-28 2010-12-02 Yunus Ciptawilangga Need-based online virtual reality ecommerce system
US20100306121A1 (en) * 2009-05-28 2010-12-02 Yunus Ciptawilangga Selling and delivering real goods and services within a virtual reality world
US20110078052A1 (en) * 2009-05-28 2011-03-31 Yunus Ciptawilangga Virtual reality ecommerce with linked user and avatar benefits
US20100306120A1 (en) * 2009-05-28 2010-12-02 Yunus Ciptawilangga Online merchandising and ecommerce with virtual reality simulation of an actual retail location
US9258376B2 (en) 2009-08-04 2016-02-09 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. Aggregated presence over user federated devices
US20110099483A1 (en) * 2009-10-25 2011-04-28 Bruce James Navin Website Recording of Reactions of a Designated User through interaction with characters
TWI413938B (en) * 2009-12-02 2013-11-01 Phison Electronics Corp Emotion engine, emotion engine system and electronic device control method
US20110143834A1 (en) * 2009-12-15 2011-06-16 Wms Gaming, Inc. Location-based customization of avatars in gaming systems
US8667402B2 (en) * 2010-03-10 2014-03-04 Onset Vi, L.P. Visualizing communications within a social setting
US20110225039A1 (en) * 2010-03-10 2011-09-15 Oddmobb, Inc. Virtual social venue feeding multiple video streams
US8572177B2 (en) 2010-03-10 2013-10-29 Xmobb, Inc. 3D social platform for sharing videos and webpages
US20110225515A1 (en) * 2010-03-10 2011-09-15 Oddmobb, Inc. Sharing emotional reactions to social media
US20110225518A1 (en) * 2010-03-10 2011-09-15 Oddmobb, Inc. Friends toolbar for a virtual social venue
US20110239136A1 (en) * 2010-03-10 2011-09-29 Oddmobb, Inc. Instantiating widgets into a virtual social venue
US20110225519A1 (en) * 2010-03-10 2011-09-15 Oddmobb, Inc. Social media platform for simulating a live experience
KR20110107428A (en) * 2010-03-25 2011-10-04 삼성전자주식회사 Digital apparatus and method for providing user interface for making contents and recording medium recorded program for executing thereof method
US20110239115A1 (en) * 2010-03-26 2011-09-29 Motorola, Inc. Selecting an avatar on a display screen of a mobile device
US9542038B2 (en) 2010-04-07 2017-01-10 Apple Inc. Personalizing colors of user interfaces
TWI439960B (en) 2010-04-07 2014-06-01 Apple Inc Avatar editing environment
US8650096B2 (en) 2010-04-08 2014-02-11 International Business Machines Corporation Virtual worlds seamless object drop integration
EP2586269B1 (en) 2010-04-22 2019-05-15 Zipit Wireless, Inc. System and method for administration and operation of one or more mobile electronic communications devices
US8694899B2 (en) 2010-06-01 2014-04-08 Apple Inc. Avatars reflecting user states
US10628985B2 (en) * 2017-12-01 2020-04-21 Affectiva, Inc. Avatar image animation using translation vectors
CN102289339B (en) * 2010-06-21 2013-10-30 腾讯科技(深圳)有限公司 Method and device for displaying expression information
JP5134653B2 (en) * 2010-07-08 2013-01-30 株式会社バンダイナムコゲームス Program and user terminal
US10904178B1 (en) 2010-07-09 2021-01-26 Gummarus, Llc Methods, systems, and computer program products for processing a request for a resource in a communication
US8911294B2 (en) 2010-08-06 2014-12-16 Wms Gaming, Inc. Browser based heterogenous technology ecosystem
US9345973B1 (en) 2010-08-06 2016-05-24 Bally Gaming, Inc. Controlling wagering game system browser areas
US10637820B2 (en) * 2011-10-21 2020-04-28 Uniloc 2017 Llc Local area social networking
US9280541B2 (en) 2012-01-09 2016-03-08 Five9, Inc. QR data proxy and protocol gateway
WO2013119802A1 (en) 2012-02-11 2013-08-15 Social Communications Company Routing virtual area based communications
US9230089B2 (en) 2012-07-16 2016-01-05 Ebay Inc. User device security manager
US20150200895A1 (en) * 2012-04-10 2015-07-16 Google Inc. Marking outgoing communications for follow-up
WO2013166588A1 (en) 2012-05-08 2013-11-14 Bitstrips Inc. System and method for adaptable avatars
US20140012911A1 (en) * 2012-07-09 2014-01-09 Jenny Q. Ta Social network system and method
USD732555S1 (en) * 2012-07-19 2015-06-23 D2L Corporation Display screen with graphical user interface
USD733167S1 (en) * 2012-07-20 2015-06-30 D2L Corporation Display screen with graphical user interface
US9746990B2 (en) * 2012-09-28 2017-08-29 Intel Corporation Selectively augmenting communications transmitted by a communication device
US10019135B1 (en) 2012-10-18 2018-07-10 Sitting Man, Llc Methods, and computer program products for constraining a communication exchange
US10033672B1 (en) 2012-10-18 2018-07-24 Sitting Man, Llc Methods and computer program products for browsing using a communicant identifier
KR20140051725A (en) * 2012-10-23 2014-05-02 문지현 Emotion exchange apparatus and method for providing thereof
US20140121007A1 (en) * 2012-10-30 2014-05-01 Zynga Inc. Playing a social game with automatic players
US10410180B2 (en) * 2012-11-19 2019-09-10 Oath Inc. System and method for touch-based communications
US20140208242A1 (en) * 2013-01-22 2014-07-24 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. Method for generating emotional note background
US9259648B2 (en) 2013-02-15 2016-02-16 Disney Enterprises, Inc. Initiate events through hidden interactions
US8918339B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2014-12-23 Facebook, Inc. Associating an indication of user emotional reaction with content items presented by a social networking system
US9706040B2 (en) 2013-10-31 2017-07-11 Udayakumar Kadirvel System and method for facilitating communication via interaction with an avatar
US10104022B2 (en) * 2013-11-15 2018-10-16 Google Llc Messaging for event live-stream
CN104780093B (en) 2014-01-15 2018-05-01 阿里巴巴集团控股有限公司 Expression information processing method and processing device during instant messaging
US10283162B2 (en) 2014-02-05 2019-05-07 Avatar Merger Sub II, LLC Method for triggering events in a video
USD780776S1 (en) * 2014-03-11 2017-03-07 King.Com Ltd. Display screen or portion thereof with game graphical user interface
US20160127796A1 (en) * 2014-10-29 2016-05-05 United Video Properties, Inc. Methods and systems for determining complimentary or conflicting avatars
USD818497S1 (en) 2015-01-06 2018-05-22 King.Com Limited Display screen with icon
JP6462386B2 (en) * 2015-02-05 2019-01-30 任天堂株式会社 Program, communication terminal and display method
US10951567B2 (en) 2015-02-18 2021-03-16 Lance Fried System for bridging, managing, and presenting smartphone and other data files with telephony interactions
US10225220B2 (en) 2015-06-01 2019-03-05 Facebook, Inc. Providing augmented message elements in electronic communication threads
USD839307S1 (en) 2015-09-04 2019-01-29 King.Com Limited Display screen with icon
USD851659S1 (en) 2015-09-04 2019-06-18 King.Com Limited Display screen with icon
USD810130S1 (en) * 2015-09-04 2018-02-13 King.Com Limited Display screen with icon
US9942611B2 (en) 2015-12-21 2018-04-10 Rovi Guides, Inc. Methods and systems for displaying a countdown alert for children
TWI574199B (en) * 2016-01-21 2017-03-11 The way to dynamically change its texture style based on the user's virtual pet
USD849787S1 (en) * 2016-03-29 2019-05-28 King.Com Limited Display screen with icon
US10476819B2 (en) * 2016-03-31 2019-11-12 Atlassian Pty Ltd Systems and methods for providing controls in a messaging interface
US10339365B2 (en) 2016-03-31 2019-07-02 Snap Inc. Automated avatar generation
US9532004B1 (en) 2016-05-12 2016-12-27 Google Inc. Animated user identifiers
CN107370656B (en) * 2016-05-12 2020-10-09 腾讯科技(深圳)有限公司 Instant messaging method and device
EP4311201A3 (en) 2016-05-18 2024-03-20 Apple Inc. Devices, methods, and graphical user interfaces for messaging
US10983689B2 (en) 2016-05-18 2021-04-20 Apple Inc. Devices, methods, and graphical user interfaces for messaging
US10474353B2 (en) 2016-05-31 2019-11-12 Snap Inc. Application control using a gesture based trigger
US10368208B2 (en) 2016-06-12 2019-07-30 Apple Inc. Layers in messaging applications
AU2017100670C4 (en) 2016-06-12 2019-11-21 Apple Inc. User interfaces for retrieving contextually relevant media content
US10360708B2 (en) 2016-06-30 2019-07-23 Snap Inc. Avatar based ideogram generation
US10855632B2 (en) 2016-07-19 2020-12-01 Snap Inc. Displaying customized electronic messaging graphics
USD829738S1 (en) 2016-08-22 2018-10-02 Illumina, Inc. Display screen or portion thereof with graphical user interface
CN106341723A (en) * 2016-09-30 2017-01-18 广州华多网络科技有限公司 Bullet screen display method and apparatus
US10609036B1 (en) 2016-10-10 2020-03-31 Snap Inc. Social media post subscribe requests for buffer user accounts
US10198626B2 (en) 2016-10-19 2019-02-05 Snap Inc. Neural networks for facial modeling
US10432559B2 (en) 2016-10-24 2019-10-01 Snap Inc. Generating and displaying customized avatars in electronic messages
US10593116B2 (en) 2016-10-24 2020-03-17 Snap Inc. Augmented reality object manipulation
US20180123986A1 (en) 2016-11-01 2018-05-03 Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc Notification of a Communication Session in a Different User Experience
US10242503B2 (en) 2017-01-09 2019-03-26 Snap Inc. Surface aware lens
US11616745B2 (en) 2017-01-09 2023-03-28 Snap Inc. Contextual generation and selection of customized media content
USD818037S1 (en) * 2017-01-11 2018-05-15 Apple Inc. Type font
US20180197347A1 (en) * 2017-01-11 2018-07-12 Taqtile Managing virtual reality objects
US10831796B2 (en) * 2017-01-15 2020-11-10 International Business Machines Corporation Tone optimization for digital content
US10242477B1 (en) 2017-01-16 2019-03-26 Snap Inc. Coded vision system
US10951562B2 (en) 2017-01-18 2021-03-16 Snap. Inc. Customized contextual media content item generation
US10454857B1 (en) 2017-01-23 2019-10-22 Snap Inc. Customized digital avatar accessories
US11069103B1 (en) * 2017-04-20 2021-07-20 Snap Inc. Customized user interface for electronic communications
US11893647B2 (en) 2017-04-27 2024-02-06 Snap Inc. Location-based virtual avatars
US10212541B1 (en) 2017-04-27 2019-02-19 Snap Inc. Selective location-based identity communication
KR102434361B1 (en) 2017-04-27 2022-08-19 스냅 인코포레이티드 Location Privacy Management for Map-Based Social Media Platforms
US10679428B1 (en) 2017-05-26 2020-06-09 Snap Inc. Neural network-based image stream modification
US11122094B2 (en) 2017-07-28 2021-09-14 Snap Inc. Software application manager for messaging applications
USD843442S1 (en) * 2017-09-10 2019-03-19 Apple Inc. Type font
USD844049S1 (en) * 2017-09-14 2019-03-26 Apple Inc. Type font
US20190114037A1 (en) 2017-10-17 2019-04-18 Blend Systems, Inc. Systems and methods for distributing customized avatars responsive to events
US10586368B2 (en) 2017-10-26 2020-03-10 Snap Inc. Joint audio-video facial animation system
US10657695B2 (en) 2017-10-30 2020-05-19 Snap Inc. Animated chat presence
US11460974B1 (en) 2017-11-28 2022-10-04 Snap Inc. Content discovery refresh
WO2019108700A1 (en) 2017-11-29 2019-06-06 Snap Inc. Group stories in an electronic messaging application
WO2019108702A1 (en) 2017-11-29 2019-06-06 Snap Inc. Graphic rendering for electronic messaging applications
JP7009968B2 (en) * 2017-12-13 2022-01-26 富士フイルムビジネスイノベーション株式会社 Information processing equipment and programs
US11504856B2 (en) * 2017-12-29 2022-11-22 DMAI, Inc. System and method for selective animatronic peripheral response for human machine dialogue
WO2019133710A1 (en) 2017-12-29 2019-07-04 DMAI, Inc. System and method for dialogue management
WO2019133694A1 (en) 2017-12-29 2019-07-04 DMAI, Inc. System and method for intelligent initiation of a man-machine dialogue based on multi-modal sensory inputs
US10949648B1 (en) 2018-01-23 2021-03-16 Snap Inc. Region-based stabilized face tracking
WO2019160613A1 (en) 2018-02-15 2019-08-22 DMAI, Inc. System and method for dynamic program configuration
US10979752B1 (en) 2018-02-28 2021-04-13 Snap Inc. Generating media content items based on location information
US10726603B1 (en) 2018-02-28 2020-07-28 Snap Inc. Animated expressive icon
US11048393B2 (en) 2018-03-09 2021-06-29 Toyota Research Institute, Inc. Personalized visual representations of an artificially intelligent agent
US11310176B2 (en) 2018-04-13 2022-04-19 Snap Inc. Content suggestion system
KR20240027845A (en) 2018-04-18 2024-03-04 스냅 인코포레이티드 Augmented expression system
US12033296B2 (en) 2018-05-07 2024-07-09 Apple Inc. Avatar creation user interface
US11074675B2 (en) 2018-07-31 2021-07-27 Snap Inc. Eye texture inpainting
US11030813B2 (en) 2018-08-30 2021-06-08 Snap Inc. Video clip object tracking
US10896534B1 (en) 2018-09-19 2021-01-19 Snap Inc. Avatar style transformation using neural networks
US10895964B1 (en) 2018-09-25 2021-01-19 Snap Inc. Interface to display shared user groups
US10698583B2 (en) 2018-09-28 2020-06-30 Snap Inc. Collaborative achievement interface
US11245658B2 (en) 2018-09-28 2022-02-08 Snap Inc. System and method of generating private notifications between users in a communication session
US10904181B2 (en) 2018-09-28 2021-01-26 Snap Inc. Generating customized graphics having reactions to electronic message content
US11189070B2 (en) 2018-09-28 2021-11-30 Snap Inc. System and method of generating targeted user lists using customizable avatar characteristics
US10872451B2 (en) 2018-10-31 2020-12-22 Snap Inc. 3D avatar rendering
US11103795B1 (en) 2018-10-31 2021-08-31 Snap Inc. Game drawer
JP2019050018A (en) * 2018-11-09 2019-03-28 富士ゼロックス株式会社 Method for controlling display, information processor, and program
US11176737B2 (en) 2018-11-27 2021-11-16 Snap Inc. Textured mesh building
US10902661B1 (en) 2018-11-28 2021-01-26 Snap Inc. Dynamic composite user identifier
US10861170B1 (en) 2018-11-30 2020-12-08 Snap Inc. Efficient human pose tracking in videos
US11199957B1 (en) 2018-11-30 2021-12-14 Snap Inc. Generating customized avatars based on location information
US11055514B1 (en) 2018-12-14 2021-07-06 Snap Inc. Image face manipulation
US11516173B1 (en) 2018-12-26 2022-11-29 Snap Inc. Message composition interface
CN109801625A (en) * 2018-12-29 2019-05-24 百度在线网络技术(北京)有限公司 Control method, device, user equipment and the storage medium of virtual speech assistant
US11032670B1 (en) 2019-01-14 2021-06-08 Snap Inc. Destination sharing in location sharing system
US10939246B1 (en) 2019-01-16 2021-03-02 Snap Inc. Location-based context information sharing in a messaging system
US11294936B1 (en) 2019-01-30 2022-04-05 Snap Inc. Adaptive spatial density based clustering
US10656797B1 (en) 2019-02-06 2020-05-19 Snap Inc. Global event-based avatar
US10984575B2 (en) 2019-02-06 2021-04-20 Snap Inc. Body pose estimation
US10936066B1 (en) 2019-02-13 2021-03-02 Snap Inc. Sleep detection in a location sharing system
US10964082B2 (en) 2019-02-26 2021-03-30 Snap Inc. Avatar based on weather
US10852918B1 (en) 2019-03-08 2020-12-01 Snap Inc. Contextual information in chat
US11868414B1 (en) 2019-03-14 2024-01-09 Snap Inc. Graph-based prediction for contact suggestion in a location sharing system
US11852554B1 (en) 2019-03-21 2023-12-26 Snap Inc. Barometer calibration in a location sharing system
US11166123B1 (en) 2019-03-28 2021-11-02 Snap Inc. Grouped transmission of location data in a location sharing system
US10674311B1 (en) 2019-03-28 2020-06-02 Snap Inc. Points of interest in a location sharing system
US12070682B2 (en) 2019-03-29 2024-08-27 Snap Inc. 3D avatar plugin for third-party games
AU2020264441A1 (en) 2019-04-30 2022-01-06 Next Jump, Inc. Electronic systems and methods for the assessment of emotional state
US10992619B2 (en) 2019-04-30 2021-04-27 Snap Inc. Messaging system with avatar generation
USD916810S1 (en) 2019-05-28 2021-04-20 Snap Inc. Display screen or portion thereof with a graphical user interface
USD916811S1 (en) 2019-05-28 2021-04-20 Snap Inc. Display screen or portion thereof with a transitional graphical user interface
USD916871S1 (en) 2019-05-28 2021-04-20 Snap Inc. Display screen or portion thereof with a transitional graphical user interface
USD916809S1 (en) 2019-05-28 2021-04-20 Snap Inc. Display screen or portion thereof with a transitional graphical user interface
USD916872S1 (en) 2019-05-28 2021-04-20 Snap Inc. Display screen or portion thereof with a graphical user interface
US10893385B1 (en) 2019-06-07 2021-01-12 Snap Inc. Detection of a physical collision between two client devices in a location sharing system
US11676199B2 (en) 2019-06-28 2023-06-13 Snap Inc. Generating customizable avatar outfits
US11188190B2 (en) * 2019-06-28 2021-11-30 Snap Inc. Generating animation overlays in a communication session
US11189098B2 (en) 2019-06-28 2021-11-30 Snap Inc. 3D object camera customization system
US11307747B2 (en) 2019-07-11 2022-04-19 Snap Inc. Edge gesture interface with smart interactions
US11455081B2 (en) 2019-08-05 2022-09-27 Snap Inc. Message thread prioritization interface
US10911387B1 (en) 2019-08-12 2021-02-02 Snap Inc. Message reminder interface
US11232646B2 (en) * 2019-09-06 2022-01-25 Snap Inc. Context-based virtual object rendering
US11320969B2 (en) 2019-09-16 2022-05-03 Snap Inc. Messaging system with battery level sharing
US11425062B2 (en) 2019-09-27 2022-08-23 Snap Inc. Recommended content viewed by friends
US11080917B2 (en) 2019-09-30 2021-08-03 Snap Inc. Dynamic parameterized user avatar stories
US11475637B2 (en) * 2019-10-21 2022-10-18 Wormhole Labs, Inc. Multi-instance multi-user augmented reality environment
US11218838B2 (en) 2019-10-31 2022-01-04 Snap Inc. Focused map-based context information surfacing
US11544921B1 (en) 2019-11-22 2023-01-03 Snap Inc. Augmented reality items based on scan
US11063891B2 (en) 2019-12-03 2021-07-13 Snap Inc. Personalized avatar notification
US11128586B2 (en) 2019-12-09 2021-09-21 Snap Inc. Context sensitive avatar captions
US11036989B1 (en) 2019-12-11 2021-06-15 Snap Inc. Skeletal tracking using previous frames
US11227442B1 (en) 2019-12-19 2022-01-18 Snap Inc. 3D captions with semantic graphical elements
US11263817B1 (en) 2019-12-19 2022-03-01 Snap Inc. 3D captions with face tracking
US11140515B1 (en) 2019-12-30 2021-10-05 Snap Inc. Interfaces for relative device positioning
US11128715B1 (en) 2019-12-30 2021-09-21 Snap Inc. Physical friend proximity in chat
US11169658B2 (en) 2019-12-31 2021-11-09 Snap Inc. Combined map icon with action indicator
US11284144B2 (en) 2020-01-30 2022-03-22 Snap Inc. Video generation system to render frames on demand using a fleet of GPUs
US11991419B2 (en) 2020-01-30 2024-05-21 Snap Inc. Selecting avatars to be included in the video being generated on demand
US11356720B2 (en) 2020-01-30 2022-06-07 Snap Inc. Video generation system to render frames on demand
US11651539B2 (en) 2020-01-30 2023-05-16 Snap Inc. System for generating media content items on demand
US11036781B1 (en) 2020-01-30 2021-06-15 Snap Inc. Video generation system to render frames on demand using a fleet of servers
US11619501B2 (en) 2020-03-11 2023-04-04 Snap Inc. Avatar based on trip
US11217020B2 (en) 2020-03-16 2022-01-04 Snap Inc. 3D cutout image modification
US11818286B2 (en) 2020-03-30 2023-11-14 Snap Inc. Avatar recommendation and reply
US11625873B2 (en) 2020-03-30 2023-04-11 Snap Inc. Personalized media overlay recommendation
WO2021203120A1 (en) 2020-03-31 2021-10-07 Snap Inc. Augmented reality beauty product tutorials
US11956190B2 (en) 2020-05-08 2024-04-09 Snap Inc. Messaging system with a carousel of related entities
DK202070624A1 (en) 2020-05-11 2022-01-04 Apple Inc User interfaces related to time
US11543939B2 (en) 2020-06-08 2023-01-03 Snap Inc. Encoded image based messaging system
US11922010B2 (en) 2020-06-08 2024-03-05 Snap Inc. Providing contextual information with keyboard interface for messaging system
US11356392B2 (en) 2020-06-10 2022-06-07 Snap Inc. Messaging system including an external-resource dock and drawer
US11423652B2 (en) 2020-06-10 2022-08-23 Snap Inc. Adding beauty products to augmented reality tutorials
WO2021263208A1 (en) 2020-06-25 2021-12-30 Snap Inc. Updating avatar clothing in a messaging system
US11580682B1 (en) 2020-06-30 2023-02-14 Snap Inc. Messaging system with augmented reality makeup
CN112035202B (en) * 2020-08-25 2021-11-23 北京字节跳动网络技术有限公司 Method and device for displaying friend activity information, electronic equipment and storage medium
US11863513B2 (en) 2020-08-31 2024-01-02 Snap Inc. Media content playback and comments management
US11360733B2 (en) 2020-09-10 2022-06-14 Snap Inc. Colocated shared augmented reality without shared backend
US11470025B2 (en) 2020-09-21 2022-10-11 Snap Inc. Chats with micro sound clips
US11452939B2 (en) 2020-09-21 2022-09-27 Snap Inc. Graphical marker generation system for synchronizing users
US11910269B2 (en) 2020-09-25 2024-02-20 Snap Inc. Augmented reality content items including user avatar to share location
US11660022B2 (en) 2020-10-27 2023-05-30 Snap Inc. Adaptive skeletal joint smoothing
US11615592B2 (en) 2020-10-27 2023-03-28 Snap Inc. Side-by-side character animation from realtime 3D body motion capture
US11450051B2 (en) 2020-11-18 2022-09-20 Snap Inc. Personalized avatar real-time motion capture
US11734894B2 (en) 2020-11-18 2023-08-22 Snap Inc. Real-time motion transfer for prosthetic limbs
US11748931B2 (en) 2020-11-18 2023-09-05 Snap Inc. Body animation sharing and remixing
US12008811B2 (en) 2020-12-30 2024-06-11 Snap Inc. Machine learning-based selection of a representative video frame within a messaging application
KR20230128065A (en) 2020-12-30 2023-09-01 스냅 인코포레이티드 Flow-guided motion retargeting
US12106486B2 (en) 2021-02-24 2024-10-01 Snap Inc. Whole body visual effects
US11790531B2 (en) 2021-02-24 2023-10-17 Snap Inc. Whole body segmentation
US11978283B2 (en) 2021-03-16 2024-05-07 Snap Inc. Mirroring device with a hands-free mode
US11809633B2 (en) 2021-03-16 2023-11-07 Snap Inc. Mirroring device with pointing based navigation
US11734959B2 (en) 2021-03-16 2023-08-22 Snap Inc. Activating hands-free mode on mirroring device
US11798201B2 (en) 2021-03-16 2023-10-24 Snap Inc. Mirroring device with whole-body outfits
US11908243B2 (en) 2021-03-16 2024-02-20 Snap Inc. Menu hierarchy navigation on electronic mirroring devices
US11544885B2 (en) 2021-03-19 2023-01-03 Snap Inc. Augmented reality experience based on physical items
US12067804B2 (en) 2021-03-22 2024-08-20 Snap Inc. True size eyewear experience in real time
US11562548B2 (en) 2021-03-22 2023-01-24 Snap Inc. True size eyewear in real time
US12034680B2 (en) 2021-03-31 2024-07-09 Snap Inc. User presence indication data management
US12100156B2 (en) 2021-04-12 2024-09-24 Snap Inc. Garment segmentation
US11636654B2 (en) 2021-05-19 2023-04-25 Snap Inc. AR-based connected portal shopping
US11941227B2 (en) 2021-06-30 2024-03-26 Snap Inc. Hybrid search system for customizable media
US11854069B2 (en) 2021-07-16 2023-12-26 Snap Inc. Personalized try-on ads
US11908083B2 (en) 2021-08-31 2024-02-20 Snap Inc. Deforming custom mesh based on body mesh
US11983462B2 (en) 2021-08-31 2024-05-14 Snap Inc. Conversation guided augmented reality experience
US11670059B2 (en) 2021-09-01 2023-06-06 Snap Inc. Controlling interactive fashion based on body gestures
US11673054B2 (en) 2021-09-07 2023-06-13 Snap Inc. Controlling AR games on fashion items
US11663792B2 (en) 2021-09-08 2023-05-30 Snap Inc. Body fitted accessory with physics simulation
US11900506B2 (en) 2021-09-09 2024-02-13 Snap Inc. Controlling interactive fashion based on facial expressions
US11734866B2 (en) 2021-09-13 2023-08-22 Snap Inc. Controlling interactive fashion based on voice
US11798238B2 (en) 2021-09-14 2023-10-24 Snap Inc. Blending body mesh into external mesh
US11836866B2 (en) 2021-09-20 2023-12-05 Snap Inc. Deforming real-world object using an external mesh
US11636662B2 (en) 2021-09-30 2023-04-25 Snap Inc. Body normal network light and rendering control
US11983826B2 (en) 2021-09-30 2024-05-14 Snap Inc. 3D upper garment tracking
US11790614B2 (en) 2021-10-11 2023-10-17 Snap Inc. Inferring intent from pose and speech input
US11651572B2 (en) 2021-10-11 2023-05-16 Snap Inc. Light and rendering of garments
US11836862B2 (en) 2021-10-11 2023-12-05 Snap Inc. External mesh with vertex attributes
US11763481B2 (en) 2021-10-20 2023-09-19 Snap Inc. Mirror-based augmented reality experience
US12086916B2 (en) 2021-10-22 2024-09-10 Snap Inc. Voice note with face tracking
US12020358B2 (en) 2021-10-29 2024-06-25 Snap Inc. Animated custom sticker creation
US11996113B2 (en) 2021-10-29 2024-05-28 Snap Inc. Voice notes with changing effects
US11995757B2 (en) 2021-10-29 2024-05-28 Snap Inc. Customized animation from video
US11960784B2 (en) 2021-12-07 2024-04-16 Snap Inc. Shared augmented reality unboxing experience
US11748958B2 (en) 2021-12-07 2023-09-05 Snap Inc. Augmented reality unboxing experience
US11880947B2 (en) 2021-12-21 2024-01-23 Snap Inc. Real-time upper-body garment exchange
US12096153B2 (en) 2021-12-21 2024-09-17 Snap Inc. Avatar call platform
US11928783B2 (en) 2021-12-30 2024-03-12 Snap Inc. AR position and orientation along a plane
US11887260B2 (en) 2021-12-30 2024-01-30 Snap Inc. AR position indicator
US11823346B2 (en) 2022-01-17 2023-11-21 Snap Inc. AR body part tracking system
US11954762B2 (en) 2022-01-19 2024-04-09 Snap Inc. Object replacement system
US12002146B2 (en) 2022-03-28 2024-06-04 Snap Inc. 3D modeling based on neural light field
US12062144B2 (en) 2022-05-27 2024-08-13 Snap Inc. Automated augmented reality experience creation based on sample source and target images
US12020384B2 (en) 2022-06-21 2024-06-25 Snap Inc. Integrating augmented reality experiences with other components
US12020386B2 (en) 2022-06-23 2024-06-25 Snap Inc. Applying pregenerated virtual experiences in new location
US11870745B1 (en) 2022-06-28 2024-01-09 Snap Inc. Media gallery sharing and management
US12062146B2 (en) 2022-07-28 2024-08-13 Snap Inc. Virtual wardrobe AR experience
US12086393B2 (en) * 2022-08-12 2024-09-10 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Communication method and device using avatar in virtual space
US12051163B2 (en) 2022-08-25 2024-07-30 Snap Inc. External computer vision for an eyewear device
US11893166B1 (en) 2022-11-08 2024-02-06 Snap Inc. User avatar movement control using an augmented reality eyewear device
US12047337B1 (en) 2023-07-03 2024-07-23 Snap Inc. Generating media content items during user interaction

Citations (90)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5710884A (en) * 1995-03-29 1998-01-20 Intel Corporation System for automatically updating personal profile server with updates to additional user information gathered from monitoring user's electronic consuming habits generated on computer during use
US5761662A (en) * 1994-12-20 1998-06-02 Sun Microsystems, Inc. Personalized information retrieval using user-defined profile
US5793365A (en) * 1996-01-02 1998-08-11 Sun Microsystems, Inc. System and method providing a computer user interface enabling access to distributed workgroup members
US5796948A (en) * 1996-11-12 1998-08-18 Cohen; Elliot D. Offensive message interceptor for computers
US5835722A (en) * 1996-06-27 1998-11-10 Logon Data Corporation System to control content and prohibit certain interactive attempts by a person using a personal computer
US5848396A (en) * 1996-04-26 1998-12-08 Freedom Of Information, Inc. Method and apparatus for determining behavioral profile of a computer user
US5880731A (en) * 1995-12-14 1999-03-09 Microsoft Corporation Use of avatars with automatic gesturing and bounded interaction in on-line chat session
US5884029A (en) * 1996-11-14 1999-03-16 International Business Machines Corporation User interaction with intelligent virtual objects, avatars, which interact with other avatars controlled by different users
US5894305A (en) * 1997-03-10 1999-04-13 Intel Corporation Method and apparatus for displaying graphical messages
US5963217A (en) * 1996-11-18 1999-10-05 7Thstreet.Com, Inc. Network conference system using limited bandwidth to generate locally animated displays
US5987415A (en) * 1998-03-23 1999-11-16 Microsoft Corporation Modeling a user's emotion and personality in a computer user interface
US6014135A (en) * 1997-04-04 2000-01-11 Netscape Communications Corp. Collaboration centric document processing environment using an information centric visual user interface and information presentation method
US6069622A (en) * 1996-03-08 2000-05-30 Microsoft Corporation Method and system for generating comic panels
US6091410A (en) * 1997-11-26 2000-07-18 International Business Machines Corporation Avatar pointing mode
US6115709A (en) * 1998-09-18 2000-09-05 Tacit Knowledge Systems, Inc. Method and system for constructing a knowledge profile of a user having unrestricted and restricted access portions according to respective levels of confidence of content of the portions
US6128739A (en) * 1997-06-17 2000-10-03 Micron Electronics, Inc. Apparatus for locating a stolen electronic device using electronic mail
US6151571A (en) * 1999-08-31 2000-11-21 Andersen Consulting System, method and article of manufacture for detecting emotion in voice signals through analysis of a plurality of voice signal parameters
US6185614B1 (en) * 1998-05-26 2001-02-06 International Business Machines Corp. Method and system for collecting user profile information over the world-wide web in the presence of dynamic content using document comparators
US6189790B1 (en) * 1999-12-22 2001-02-20 Ncr Corporation Method and apparatus for displaying instructional messages during operation of a self-service checkout terminal
US6205478B1 (en) * 1998-07-08 2001-03-20 Fujitsu Limited System for exchanging user information among users
US6219045B1 (en) * 1995-11-13 2001-04-17 Worlds, Inc. Scalable virtual world chat client-server system
US6227974B1 (en) * 1997-06-27 2001-05-08 Nds Limited Interactive game system
US6252588B1 (en) * 1998-06-16 2001-06-26 Zentek Technology, Inc. Method and apparatus for providing an audio visual e-mail system
US6253202B1 (en) * 1998-09-18 2001-06-26 Tacit Knowledge Systems, Inc. Method, system and apparatus for authorizing access by a first user to a knowledge profile of a second user responsive to an access request from the first user
US6256633B1 (en) * 1998-06-25 2001-07-03 U.S. Philips Corporation Context-based and user-profile driven information retrieval
US6268872B1 (en) * 1997-05-21 2001-07-31 Sony Corporation Client apparatus, image display controlling method, shared virtual space providing apparatus and method, and program providing medium
US20010019330A1 (en) * 1998-02-13 2001-09-06 Timothy W. Bickmore Method and apparatus for creating personal autonomous avatars
US20020005865A1 (en) * 1999-12-17 2002-01-17 Barbara Hayes-Roth System, method, and device for authoring content for interactive agents
US6346956B2 (en) * 1996-09-30 2002-02-12 Sony Corporation Three-dimensional virtual reality space display processing apparatus, a three-dimensional virtual reality space display processing method, and an information providing medium
US6349327B1 (en) * 1995-12-22 2002-02-19 Sun Microsystems, Inc. System and method enabling awareness of others working on similar tasks in a computer work environment
US6374237B1 (en) * 1996-12-24 2002-04-16 Intel Corporation Data set selection based upon user profile
US20020078150A1 (en) * 2000-12-18 2002-06-20 Nortel Networks Limited And Bell Canada Method of team member profile selection within a virtual team environment
US20020104087A1 (en) * 2000-12-05 2002-08-01 Philips Electronics North America Corp. Method and apparatus for selective updating of a user profile
US20020111994A1 (en) * 2001-02-14 2002-08-15 International Business Machines Corporation Information provision over a network based on a user's profile
US20020113809A1 (en) * 2000-12-27 2002-08-22 Yoshiko Akazawa Apparatus and method for providing virtual world customized for user
US20020128746A1 (en) * 2001-02-27 2002-09-12 International Business Machines Corporation Apparatus, system and method for a remotely monitored and operated avatar
US20020165727A1 (en) * 2000-05-22 2002-11-07 Greene William S. Method and system for managing partitioned data resources
US20030014274A1 (en) * 2001-06-08 2003-01-16 Denis Chalon Method of maintaining a user profile
US20030020749A1 (en) * 2001-07-10 2003-01-30 Suhayya Abu-Hakima Concept-based message/document viewer for electronic communications and internet searching
US20030050115A1 (en) * 2001-07-13 2003-03-13 Leen Fergus A. System and method for generating profile information for a user of a gaming application
US6539375B2 (en) * 1998-08-04 2003-03-25 Microsoft Corporation Method and system for generating and using a computer user's personal interest profile
US20030061239A1 (en) * 2001-09-26 2003-03-27 Lg Electronics Inc. Multimedia searching and browsing system based on user profile
US6545682B1 (en) * 2000-05-24 2003-04-08 There, Inc. Method and apparatus for creating and customizing avatars using genetic paradigm
US20030074409A1 (en) * 2001-10-16 2003-04-17 Xerox Corporation Method and apparatus for generating a user interest profile
US20030080989A1 (en) * 1998-01-23 2003-05-01 Koichi Matsuda Information processing apparatus, method and medium using a virtual reality space
US6560588B1 (en) * 1997-10-30 2003-05-06 Nortel Networks Limited Method and apparatus for identifying items of information from a multi-user information system
US20030105820A1 (en) * 2001-12-03 2003-06-05 Jeffrey Haims Method and apparatus for facilitating online communication
US6587127B1 (en) * 1997-11-25 2003-07-01 Motorola, Inc. Content player method and server with user profile
US20030156134A1 (en) * 2000-12-08 2003-08-21 Kyunam Kim Graphic chatting with organizational avatars
US20030179222A1 (en) * 1999-03-31 2003-09-25 Tsunetake Noma Information sharing processing method, information sharing processing program storage medium, information sharing processing apparatus, and information sharing processing system
US6629793B1 (en) * 2002-04-26 2003-10-07 Westie Intellectual Properties Limited Partnership Emoticon keyboard
US6640229B1 (en) * 1998-09-18 2003-10-28 Tacit Knowledge Systems, Inc. Automatic management of terms in a user profile in a knowledge management system
US6654735B1 (en) * 1999-01-08 2003-11-25 International Business Machines Corporation Outbound information analysis for generating user interest profiles and improving user productivity
US20040003041A1 (en) * 2002-04-02 2004-01-01 Worldcom, Inc. Messaging response system
US20040024822A1 (en) * 2002-08-01 2004-02-05 Werndorfer Scott M. Apparatus and method for generating audio and graphical animations in an instant messaging environment
US6694375B1 (en) * 1997-12-04 2004-02-17 British Telecommunications Public Limited Company Communications network and method having accessible directory of user profile data
US20040034799A1 (en) * 2002-08-15 2004-02-19 International Business Machines Corporation Network system allowing the sharing of user profile information among network users
US6708205B2 (en) * 2001-02-15 2004-03-16 Suffix Mail, Inc. E-mail messaging system
US6708203B1 (en) * 1997-10-20 2004-03-16 The Delfin Project, Inc. Method and system for filtering messages based on a user profile and an informational processing system event
US6725048B2 (en) * 2000-09-22 2004-04-20 Ericsson Inc. Traffic congestion management when providing realtime information to service providers
US6731307B1 (en) * 2000-10-30 2004-05-04 Koninklije Philips Electronics N.V. User interface/entertainment device that simulates personal interaction and responds to user's mental state and/or personality
US6748326B1 (en) * 1999-10-15 2004-06-08 Sony Corporation Information processing apparatus and method for displaying weather data as a background for an electronic pet in a virtual space
US6748626B2 (en) * 2002-08-14 2004-06-15 Scott D. Maurer Articulated swing away hinge
US20040128353A1 (en) * 2002-07-26 2004-07-01 Goodman Brian D. Creating dynamic interactive alert messages based on extensible document definitions
US20040137882A1 (en) * 2001-05-02 2004-07-15 Forsyth John Matthew Group communication method for a wireless communication device
US6772195B1 (en) * 1999-10-29 2004-08-03 Electronic Arts, Inc. Chat clusters for a virtual world application
US6781608B1 (en) * 2000-06-30 2004-08-24 America Online, Inc. Gradual image display
US6798426B1 (en) * 1998-04-07 2004-09-28 Konami Co., Ltd. Character image display control method and apparatus, and storage medium therefor
US20040215731A1 (en) * 2001-07-06 2004-10-28 Tzann-En Szeto Christopher Messenger-controlled applications in an instant messaging environment
US20040221224A1 (en) * 2002-11-21 2004-11-04 Blattner Patrick D. Multiple avatar personalities
US6874127B2 (en) * 1998-12-18 2005-03-29 Tangis Corporation Method and system for controlling presentation of information to a user based on the user's condition
US20050080868A1 (en) * 2003-10-14 2005-04-14 Malik Dale W. Automatically replying to instant messaging (IM) messages
US6907571B2 (en) * 2000-03-01 2005-06-14 Benjamin Slotznick Adjunct use of instant messenger software to enable communications to or between chatterbots or other software agents
US6948131B1 (en) * 2000-03-08 2005-09-20 Vidiator Enterprises Inc. Communication system and method including rich media tools
US20050223328A1 (en) * 2004-01-30 2005-10-06 Ashish Ashtekar Method and apparatus for providing dynamic moods for avatars
US20050227676A1 (en) * 2000-07-27 2005-10-13 Microsoft Corporation Place specific buddy list services
US7007065B2 (en) * 2000-04-21 2006-02-28 Sony Corporation Information processing apparatus and method, and storage medium
US7035803B1 (en) * 2000-11-03 2006-04-25 At&T Corp. Method for sending multi-media messages using customizable background images
US7039676B1 (en) * 2000-10-31 2006-05-02 International Business Machines Corporation Using video image analysis to automatically transmit gestures over a network in a chat or instant messaging session
US7056217B1 (en) * 2000-05-31 2006-06-06 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Messaging service for video game systems with buddy list that displays game being played
US20060143569A1 (en) * 2002-09-06 2006-06-29 Kinsella Michael P Communication using avatars
US20060173959A1 (en) * 2001-12-14 2006-08-03 Openwave Systems Inc. Agent based application using data synchronization
US20060184886A1 (en) * 1999-12-22 2006-08-17 Urbanpixel Inc. Spatial chat in a multiple browser environment
US7133900B1 (en) * 2001-07-06 2006-11-07 Yahoo! Inc. Sharing and implementing instant messaging environments
US7137070B2 (en) * 2002-06-27 2006-11-14 International Business Machines Corporation Sampling responses to communication content for use in analyzing reaction responses to other communications
US7159008B1 (en) * 2000-06-30 2007-01-02 Immersion Corporation Chat interface with haptic feedback functionality
US7181441B2 (en) * 2000-03-01 2007-02-20 Sony Deutschland Gmbh Management of user profile data
US7231205B2 (en) * 2001-07-26 2007-06-12 Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ) Method for changing graphical data like avatars by mobile telecommunication terminals
US7275215B2 (en) * 2002-07-29 2007-09-25 Cerulean Studios, Llc System and method for managing contacts in an instant messaging environment
US7386799B1 (en) * 2002-11-21 2008-06-10 Forterra Systems, Inc. Cinematic techniques in avatar-centric communication during a multi-user online simulation

Family Cites Families (368)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4837798A (en) 1986-06-02 1989-06-06 American Telephone And Telegraph Company Communication system having unified messaging
GB2228162B (en) 1989-02-08 1993-05-19 Philips Electronic Associated Mobile radio transmission system and a mobile station for use in the system
IL90277A0 (en) 1989-05-12 1989-12-15 Shmuel Shapira System for locating compatible persons at a given locality
US5388202A (en) 1990-02-02 1995-02-07 Viacom International Inc. Method and apparatus for generating window borders having pictorial frame elements
US5416899A (en) 1992-01-13 1995-05-16 Massachusetts Institute Of Technology Memory based method and apparatus for computer graphics
US5327486A (en) 1993-03-22 1994-07-05 Bell Communications Research, Inc. Method and system for managing telecommunications such as telephone calls
DE69400115T2 (en) 1993-06-22 1996-11-14 Vmx Inc Electronic messaging system with integrated voice messages
US5548637A (en) 1993-09-09 1996-08-20 Precision Tracking Fm, Inc. Method and apparatus for locating personnel and objects in response to telephone inquiries
DE4332945A1 (en) 1993-09-28 1995-03-30 Bosch Gmbh Robert Positioning and navigation device with satellite support
AU1258195A (en) 1993-11-17 1995-06-06 Collegeview Method and apparatus for displaying three-dimensional animated characters upon a computer monitor's screen
US5721906A (en) 1994-03-24 1998-02-24 Ncr Corporation Multiple repositories of computer resources, transparent to user
JPH07306803A (en) 1994-03-24 1995-11-21 At & T Global Inf Solutions Internatl Inc Secret protective face of computer-resource storage part
US6026403A (en) 1994-03-24 2000-02-15 Ncr Corporation Computer system for management of resources
US5675752A (en) 1994-09-15 1997-10-07 Sony Corporation Interactive applications generator for an interactive presentation environment
US5742905A (en) 1994-09-19 1998-04-21 Bell Communications Research, Inc. Personal communications internetworking
US6009413A (en) 1994-11-10 1999-12-28 America Online, Inc. System for real time shopping
EP0717545A3 (en) 1994-12-13 1998-06-17 AT&T Corp. Interactive telephone networking service
CA2139081C (en) 1994-12-23 1999-02-02 Alastair Gordon Unified messaging system and method
US5694616A (en) 1994-12-30 1997-12-02 International Business Machines Corporation Method and system for prioritization of email items by selectively associating priority attribute with at least one and fewer than all of the recipients
US5715466A (en) 1995-02-14 1998-02-03 Compuserve Incorporated System for parallel foreign language communication over a computer network
US5889953A (en) 1995-05-25 1999-03-30 Cabletron Systems, Inc. Policy management and conflict resolution in computer networks
US6026429A (en) 1995-06-07 2000-02-15 America Online, Inc. Seamless integration of internet resources
US5740549A (en) 1995-06-12 1998-04-14 Pointcast, Inc. Information and advertising distribution system and method
US6512525B1 (en) 1995-08-07 2003-01-28 Apple Computer, Inc. Multiple personas for mobile devices
TW366674B (en) 1995-08-30 1999-08-11 Motorola Inc Method and apparatus for marking messages in selective call receivers
WO1997010558A1 (en) 1995-09-14 1997-03-20 Bell Communications Research, Inc. Method and system for providing continually updated personalized information
US5745556A (en) 1995-09-22 1998-04-28 At&T Corp. Interactive and information data services telephone billing system
US5737328A (en) 1995-10-04 1998-04-07 Aironet Wireless Communications, Inc. Network communication system with information rerouting capabilities
US5774670A (en) 1995-10-06 1998-06-30 Netscape Communications Corporation Persistent client state in a hypertext transfer protocol based client-server system
US6085223A (en) 1995-10-20 2000-07-04 Ncr Corporation Method and apparatus for providing database information to non-requesting clients
US5948058A (en) 1995-10-30 1999-09-07 Nec Corporation Method and apparatus for cataloging and displaying e-mail using a classification rule preparing means and providing cataloging a piece of e-mail into multiple categories or classification types based on e-mail object information
US5802470A (en) 1996-01-11 1998-09-01 At&T Corp Automated wireless-call completion using a paging network
US6065047A (en) 1996-01-24 2000-05-16 America Online, Inc. System for providing subscriber with access to a content area customized for the combination of subscriber's responses to topic prompt, subtopic prompt, and action prompt
US5878219A (en) 1996-03-12 1999-03-02 America Online, Inc. System for integrating access to proprietary and internet resources
US6311211B1 (en) 1996-04-19 2001-10-30 Juno Online Services, Inc. Method and apparatus for delivering electronic advocacy messages
US6014638A (en) 1996-05-29 2000-01-11 America Online, Inc. System for customizing computer displays in accordance with user preferences
US5870769A (en) 1996-06-07 1999-02-09 At&T Corp. Internet access system and method with active link status indicators
US5946617A (en) 1996-06-28 1999-08-31 Telxon Corporation Cellular communication system with remote power source for providing power to access points
US6229533B1 (en) * 1996-08-02 2001-05-08 Fujitsu Limited Ghost object for a virtual world
US5850594A (en) 1996-08-26 1998-12-15 Motorola, Inc. Method and apparatus for efficiently transmitting addresses and messages from portable messaging units over a wireless communication channel
US5721827A (en) 1996-10-02 1998-02-24 James Logan System for electrically distributing personalized information
IL119364A (en) 1996-10-06 2000-11-21 Icq Inc Communications system
US5940488A (en) 1996-11-15 1999-08-17 Active Voice Corporation Telecommunication management system and user interface
US5867162A (en) 1996-12-06 1999-02-02 Sun Microsystems, Inc. Methods, systems, and computer program products for controlling picklists
US5987113A (en) 1996-12-23 1999-11-16 Northern Telecom Limited Long distance phone tag service
US5812126A (en) 1996-12-31 1998-09-22 Intel Corporation Method and apparatus for masquerading online
US6166730A (en) 1997-12-03 2000-12-26 Diva Systems Corporation System for interactively distributing information services
US6175831B1 (en) 1997-01-17 2001-01-16 Six Degrees, Inc. Method and apparatus for constructing a networking database and system
US6212550B1 (en) 1997-01-21 2001-04-03 Motorola, Inc. Method and system in a client-server for automatically converting messages from a first format to a second format compatible with a message retrieving device
US6012051A (en) 1997-02-06 2000-01-04 America Online, Inc. Consumer profiling system with analytic decision processor
US6963923B1 (en) 1997-02-10 2005-11-08 International Business Machines Corporation Method for file transfer restarts using standard internet protocol
US6750881B1 (en) 1997-02-24 2004-06-15 America Online, Inc. User definable on-line co-user lists
US5920692A (en) 1997-03-24 1999-07-06 International Business Machines Corp. Method and system for a remote notification service for a multi-user server architecture
US6260148B1 (en) 1997-04-04 2001-07-10 Microsoft Corporation Methods and systems for message forwarding and property notifications using electronic subscriptions
US5943478A (en) 1997-04-04 1999-08-24 Flash Communications, Inc. System for immediate popup messaging across the internet
US6002402A (en) 1997-04-09 1999-12-14 Symantec Corporation System and method for producing a drag-and-drop object from a popup menu item
US5893091A (en) 1997-04-11 1999-04-06 Immediata Corporation Multicasting with key words
US6452614B1 (en) 1997-04-14 2002-09-17 Siements Information And Communication Networks, Inc. Organizing a user interface using different personae
US6199097B1 (en) 1997-04-30 2001-03-06 Sony Corporation Method and apparatus for collecting data and storage medium for data collection program
US5944780A (en) 1997-05-05 1999-08-31 At&T Corp Network with shared caching
NZ330703A (en) 1997-06-17 2000-03-27 Telecom Wireless Solutions Inc Electronic mail system for interconnecting computer networks with digital mobile phone network
JPH1115756A (en) 1997-06-24 1999-01-22 Omron Corp Electronic mail discrimination method, device, therefor and storage medium
US5870744A (en) 1997-06-30 1999-02-09 Intel Corporation Virtual people networking
AU8496398A (en) 1997-07-18 1999-02-10 Net Exchange, Inc. Apparatus and method for effecting correspondent-centric electronic mail
US7117358B2 (en) 1997-07-24 2006-10-03 Tumbleweed Communications Corp. Method and system for filtering communication
IL121501A (en) 1997-08-08 2003-04-10 Icq Inc Telephone-status notification system
JPH1165960A (en) 1997-08-27 1999-03-09 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Message server equipment using directory management
FI104604B (en) 1997-09-19 2000-02-29 Nokia Networks Oy Updating Internet access point settings in the mobile system
US6636733B1 (en) 1997-09-19 2003-10-21 Thompson Trust Wireless messaging method
US5954798A (en) 1997-10-06 1999-09-21 Ncr Corporation Mechanism for dependably managing web synchronization and tracking operations among multiple browsers
US5951643A (en) 1997-10-06 1999-09-14 Ncr Corporation Mechanism for dependably organizing and managing information for web synchronization and tracking among multiple browsers
US5951652A (en) 1997-10-06 1999-09-14 Ncr Corporation Dependable data element synchronization mechanism
US6081830A (en) 1997-10-09 2000-06-27 Gateway 2000, Inc. Automatic linking to program-specific computer chat rooms
US6269369B1 (en) 1997-11-02 2001-07-31 Amazon.Com Holdings, Inc. Networked personal contact manager
US5893099A (en) 1997-11-10 1999-04-06 International Business Machines System and method for processing electronic mail status rendezvous
US6128618A (en) 1997-11-13 2000-10-03 Eliovson; Moshe T. System and method for enforcing integrity in component plan construction
US6151584A (en) 1997-11-20 2000-11-21 Ncr Corporation Computer architecture and method for validating and collecting and metadata and data about the internet and electronic commerce environments (data discoverer)
JP3928229B2 (en) * 1997-11-28 2007-06-13 ソニー株式会社 Display control apparatus, display control method, and recording medium
AU1907899A (en) 1997-12-22 1999-07-12 Accepted Marketing, Inc. E-mail filter and method thereof
US6249740B1 (en) 1998-01-21 2001-06-19 Kabushikikaisha Equos Research Communications navigation system, and navigation base apparatus and vehicle navigation apparatus both used in the navigation system
US6346952B1 (en) 1999-12-01 2002-02-12 Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories, Inc. Method and apparatus for summarizing previous threads in a communication-center chat session
US6329986B1 (en) 1998-02-21 2001-12-11 U.S. Philips Corporation Priority-based virtual environment
DE69839087T2 (en) 1998-03-18 2009-03-19 Sony Deutschland Gmbh IRC name translation protocol
EP0949787A1 (en) 1998-03-18 1999-10-13 Sony International (Europe) GmbH Multiple personality internet account
US6484196B1 (en) 1998-03-20 2002-11-19 Advanced Web Solutions Internet messaging system and method for use in computer networks
US6327586B1 (en) 1998-05-27 2001-12-04 Wisdombuilder, L.L.C. System method and computer program product to automate the management and analysis of heterogeneous data
US6219694B1 (en) 1998-05-29 2001-04-17 Research In Motion Limited System and method for pushing information from a host system to a mobile data communication device having a shared electronic address
JPH11355619A (en) 1998-06-05 1999-12-24 Fuji Photo Film Co Ltd Camera
US6205432B1 (en) 1998-06-05 2001-03-20 Creative Internet Concepts, Llc Background advertising system
NL1009376C1 (en) 1998-06-11 1998-07-06 Boardwalk Ag Data system for providing relationship patterns between people.
US6247043B1 (en) 1998-06-11 2001-06-12 International Business Machines Corporation Apparatus, program products and methods utilizing intelligent contact management
AU3951599A (en) 1998-06-11 1999-12-30 Boardwalk Ag System, method, and computer program product for providing relational patterns between entities
US6530083B1 (en) 1998-06-19 2003-03-04 Gateway, Inc System for personalized settings
US6161130A (en) 1998-06-23 2000-12-12 Microsoft Corporation Technique which utilizes a probabilistic classifier to detect "junk" e-mail by automatically updating a training and re-training the classifier based on the updated training set
US6192396B1 (en) 1998-08-11 2001-02-20 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Electronic mail with recipient-specific content
TW463503B (en) 1998-08-26 2001-11-11 United Video Properties Inc Television chat system
AU6392899A (en) 1998-09-15 2000-04-03 Local2Me.Com, Inc. Dynamic matching TM of users for group communication
US7051275B2 (en) 1998-09-15 2006-05-23 Microsoft Corporation Annotations for multiple versions of media content
US6324569B1 (en) 1998-09-23 2001-11-27 John W. L. Ogilvie Self-removing email verified or designated as such by a message distributor for the convenience of a recipient
US6363392B1 (en) 1998-10-16 2002-03-26 Vicinity Corporation Method and system for providing a web-sharable personal database
JP2000161918A (en) 1998-12-01 2000-06-16 Tsubakimoto Chain Co Method and device for detecting position of moving body
KR100593996B1 (en) 1998-12-17 2006-09-27 삼성전자주식회사 How to display wallpaper on a mobile phone
JP3685938B2 (en) 1998-12-18 2005-08-24 富士通株式会社 Communication support method and communication support system
US6425012B1 (en) 1998-12-28 2002-07-23 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. System creating chat network based on a time of each chat access request
US6535586B1 (en) 1998-12-30 2003-03-18 At&T Corp. System for the remote notification and retrieval of electronically stored messages
US6330590B1 (en) 1999-01-05 2001-12-11 William D. Cotten Preventing delivery of unwanted bulk e-mail
US6606647B2 (en) 1999-01-11 2003-08-12 Infospace, Inc. Server and method for routing messages to achieve unified communications
US20010013050A1 (en) 1999-01-11 2001-08-09 Shah Niraj A. Buddy list aggregation
US6795967B1 (en) 1999-01-26 2004-09-21 Microsoft Corporation Changing user identities without closing applications
JP4085500B2 (en) 1999-01-29 2008-05-14 株式会社エクォス・リサーチ Vehicle status grasping device, agent device, and vehicle control device
US6449634B1 (en) 1999-01-29 2002-09-10 Digital Impact, Inc. Method and system for remotely sensing the file formats processed by an E-mail client
JP2000259514A (en) 1999-03-05 2000-09-22 Hitachi Information Systems Ltd Electronic mail destination management system and recording medium stored with program for performing the same
US6401085B1 (en) 1999-03-05 2002-06-04 Accenture Llp Mobile communication and computing system and method
JP3644580B2 (en) 1999-03-19 2005-04-27 富士通株式会社 Display control method and apparatus
US6421439B1 (en) 1999-03-24 2002-07-16 Microsoft Corporation System and method for user affiliation in a telephone network
JP2000284999A (en) 1999-03-30 2000-10-13 Sony Corp Image information communication equipment and method, image information providing device and method and providing medium
US7039639B2 (en) 1999-03-31 2006-05-02 International Business Machines Corporation Optimization of system performance based on communication relationship
US6151171A (en) 1999-03-31 2000-11-21 Eastman Kodak Company Zoom assembly having zoom lens with plurality of lens group that move together or differentially for zooming and focusing
US6374290B1 (en) 1999-04-01 2002-04-16 Cacheflow, Inc. Self moderated virtual communities
US6976267B1 (en) 1999-04-09 2005-12-13 Sony Corporation Method and apparatus for controlling connections between devices
US6393464B1 (en) 1999-05-10 2002-05-21 Unbound Communications, Inc. Method for controlling the delivery of electronic mail messages
US6571234B1 (en) 1999-05-11 2003-05-27 Prophet Financial Systems, Inc. System and method for managing online message board
CA2272739C (en) 1999-05-25 2003-10-07 Suhayya Abu-Hakima Apparatus and method for interpreting and intelligently managing electronic messages
US7143356B1 (en) 1999-06-02 2006-11-28 International Business Machines Corporation Communication link system based on user indicator
US6907243B1 (en) 1999-06-09 2005-06-14 Cisco Technology, Inc. Method and system for dynamic soft handoff resource allocation in a wireless network
US6400381B1 (en) 1999-06-11 2002-06-04 International Business Machines Corporation Web places
US6879994B1 (en) 1999-06-22 2005-04-12 Comverse, Ltd System and method for processing and presenting internet usage information to facilitate user communications
US6389372B1 (en) 1999-06-29 2002-05-14 Xerox Corporation System and method for bootstrapping a collaborative filtering system
US6301609B1 (en) 1999-07-07 2001-10-09 Lucent Technologies Inc. Assignable associate priorities for user-definable instant messaging buddy groups
US6507866B1 (en) 1999-07-19 2003-01-14 At&T Wireless Services, Inc. E-mail usage pattern detection
US6549937B1 (en) 1999-07-21 2003-04-15 Microsoft Corporation System and method for multi-protocol communication in a computer network
US6525747B1 (en) 1999-08-02 2003-02-25 Amazon.Com, Inc. Method and system for conducting a discussion relating to an item
US6430604B1 (en) 1999-08-03 2002-08-06 International Business Machines Corporation Technique for enabling messaging systems to use alternative message delivery mechanisms
US6557027B1 (en) 1999-08-05 2003-04-29 International Business Machines Corporation System and method for managing on-line discussion having multiple topics in a collaborative data processing environment
US20010030664A1 (en) 1999-08-16 2001-10-18 Shulman Leo A. Method and apparatus for configuring icon interactivity
US7424543B2 (en) 1999-09-08 2008-09-09 Rice Iii James L System and method of permissive data flow and application transfer
JP2001084321A (en) 1999-09-13 2001-03-30 Vasara Research Inc Information management device
JP2001084320A (en) 1999-09-13 2001-03-30 Oki Electric Ind Co Ltd Workflow management system
US6785554B1 (en) 1999-09-15 2004-08-31 Qualcomm Incorporated Modified finger assignment algorithm for high data rate calls
US6691162B1 (en) 1999-09-21 2004-02-10 America Online, Inc. Monitoring users of a computer network
US6539421B1 (en) 1999-09-24 2003-03-25 America Online, Inc. Messaging application user interface
US6389028B1 (en) 1999-09-24 2002-05-14 Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories, Inc. Method and apparatus for providing estimated response-wait-time displays for data network-based inquiries to a communication center
US6654683B2 (en) 1999-09-27 2003-11-25 Jin Haiping Method and system for real-time navigation using mobile telephones
US20030191682A1 (en) 1999-09-28 2003-10-09 Allen Oh Positioning system for perception management
US6434599B1 (en) 1999-09-30 2002-08-13 Xoucin, Inc. Method and apparatus for on-line chatting
US6788769B1 (en) 1999-10-13 2004-09-07 Emediacy, Inc. Internet directory system and method using telephone number based addressing
US8601373B1 (en) 1999-11-16 2013-12-03 Ebay Inc. Network-based sales system with customizable user interface
US6489968B1 (en) 1999-11-18 2002-12-03 Amazon.Com, Inc. System and method for exposing popular categories of browse tree
US6832245B1 (en) 1999-12-01 2004-12-14 At&T Corp. System and method for analyzing communications of user messages to rank users and contacts based on message content
US6941345B1 (en) 1999-12-03 2005-09-06 Nortel Networks Limited Real-time, text-based messaging between devices in plural communities
US20020065894A1 (en) 1999-12-03 2002-05-30 Dalal Siddhartha R. Local presence state and user-controlled presence and message forwarding in unified instant messaging
US6678719B1 (en) 1999-12-20 2004-01-13 Mediaone Group, Inc. Virtual workplace intercommunication tool
CA2395207A1 (en) 1999-12-23 2001-06-28 M.H. Segan Limited Partnership System for viewing content over a network and method therefor
US6252952B1 (en) 1999-12-30 2001-06-26 At&T Corp Personal user network (closed user network) PUN/CUN
US6347332B1 (en) 1999-12-30 2002-02-12 Edwin I. Malet System for network-based debates
US6373817B1 (en) 1999-12-30 2002-04-16 At&T Corp. Chase me system
WO2001050337A1 (en) 1999-12-31 2001-07-12 Commonwealth Scientific And Industrial Research Organisation A method and system for communication in the usenet
US6901559B1 (en) 2000-01-06 2005-05-31 Microsoft Corporation Method and apparatus for providing recent categories on a hand-held device
US7337210B2 (en) 2000-01-13 2008-02-26 International Business Machines Corporation Method and apparatus for determining availability of a user of an instant messaging application
US6580790B1 (en) 2000-02-09 2003-06-17 At&T Corp. Calling assistance system and method
US6559863B1 (en) 2000-02-11 2003-05-06 International Business Machines Corporation System and methodology for video conferencing and internet chatting in a cocktail party style
JP3720230B2 (en) * 2000-02-18 2005-11-24 シャープ株式会社 Expression data control system, expression data control apparatus constituting the same, and recording medium on which the program is recorded
US7043530B2 (en) 2000-02-22 2006-05-09 At&T Corp. System, method and apparatus for communicating via instant messaging
US7058036B1 (en) 2000-02-25 2006-06-06 Sprint Spectrum L.P. Method and system for wireless instant messaging
US6248946B1 (en) 2000-03-01 2001-06-19 Ijockey, Inc. Multimedia content delivery system and method
KR20010086705A (en) 2000-03-02 2001-09-15 신용현 Method for servicing real-time background music in accordance with user definition by using information communication network
US6714793B1 (en) 2000-03-06 2004-03-30 America Online, Inc. Method and system for instant messaging across cellular networks and a public data network
US6731308B1 (en) 2000-03-09 2004-05-04 Sun Microsystems, Inc. Mechanism for reciprocal awareness of intent to initiate and end interaction among remote users
AU2001249239A1 (en) 2000-03-17 2001-10-03 America Online, Inc. Shared groups rostering system
US6868074B1 (en) 2000-03-30 2005-03-15 Mci, Inc. Mobile data device and method of locating mobile data device
US20020023134A1 (en) 2000-04-03 2002-02-21 Roskowski Steven G. Method and computer program product for establishing real-time communications between networked computers
JP2001298719A (en) 2000-04-17 2001-10-26 Toshiba Corp Information reproducing method and information providing business method
US6799039B2 (en) 2000-04-17 2004-09-28 Nortel Networks Limited Network resource sharing during handover of a mobile station between cellular wireless networks
US7124164B1 (en) 2001-04-17 2006-10-17 Chemtob Helen J Method and apparatus for providing group interaction via communications networks
US6785781B2 (en) 2000-04-20 2004-08-31 International Business Machines Corporation Read/write alignment scheme for port reduction of multi-port SRAM cells
US20020021307A1 (en) 2000-04-24 2002-02-21 Steve Glenn Method and apparatus for utilizing online presence information
WO2001082096A1 (en) 2000-04-27 2001-11-01 America Online, Inc. Multi-windowed online application environment
JP4441979B2 (en) 2000-04-28 2010-03-31 ソニー株式会社 Information processing apparatus and method, and recording medium
KR20010100342A (en) * 2000-05-01 2001-11-14 김종민 Method of changing surroundings in 3d world based on time and system tereof
US6912564B1 (en) 2000-05-04 2005-06-28 America Online, Inc. System for instant messaging the sender and recipients of an e-mail message
US6784901B1 (en) 2000-05-09 2004-08-31 There Method, system and computer program product for the delivery of a chat message in a 3D multi-user environment
US7200634B2 (en) 2000-05-10 2007-04-03 Chikka Pte Ltd. Instant messaging account system
AUPQ784100A0 (en) 2000-05-29 2000-06-22 Harkham, Gabi Method of and system for providing an on-line casino game
US6453294B1 (en) 2000-05-31 2002-09-17 International Business Machines Corporation Dynamic destination-determined multimedia avatars for interactive on-line communications
US6542750B2 (en) 2000-06-10 2003-04-01 Telcontar Method and system for selectively connecting mobile users based on physical proximity
CA2413016A1 (en) 2000-06-15 2001-12-20 Orion's Belt, Inc. Method of and system for determining connections between parties over a network
US7363246B1 (en) 2000-06-19 2008-04-22 Vulcan Portals, Inc. System and method for enhancing buyer and seller interaction during a group-buying sale
US20040122810A1 (en) 2000-06-22 2004-06-24 Yaron Mayer System and method for searching, finding and contacting dates on the Internet in instant messaging networks and/or in other methods that enable immediate finding and creating immediate contact
DE10196385T1 (en) 2000-06-22 2003-11-06 Yaron Mayer System and method for searching for and finding data and for contacting this data via the Internet in instant messaging networks and / or other methods which make it possible to find and establish contacts immediately
AU2001268674B2 (en) 2000-06-22 2007-04-26 Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc Distributed computing services platform
US8001190B2 (en) 2001-06-25 2011-08-16 Aol Inc. Email integrated instant messaging
US6699125B2 (en) 2000-07-03 2004-03-02 Yahoo! Inc. Game server for use in connection with a messenger server
US7117245B1 (en) 2000-07-05 2006-10-03 Iris Wireless, Llc Global communication method and system
US7249036B2 (en) 2000-07-06 2007-07-24 Cary Gresham Bayne Method for clinician house calls utilizing portable computing and communications equipment
US7047202B2 (en) 2000-07-13 2006-05-16 Amit Jaipuria Method and apparatus for optimizing networking potential using a secured system for an online community
US6772188B1 (en) 2000-07-14 2004-08-03 America Online, Incorporated Method and apparatus for communicating with an entity automatically identified in an electronic communication
US7028263B2 (en) 2000-07-19 2006-04-11 Research In Motion Limited User interface and method for viewing short messages on a wireless device
US6839737B1 (en) 2000-07-19 2005-01-04 Neoplanet, Inc. Messaging system for indicating status of a sender of electronic mail and method and computer program product therefor
US6671682B1 (en) 2000-07-28 2003-12-30 Lucent Technologies Method and system for performing tasks on a computer network using user personas
DE60132096T2 (en) 2000-08-22 2008-06-26 Symbian Ltd. METHOD AND DEVICE FOR COMMUNICATING USER-RELATED INFORMATION USING A WIRELESS INFORMATION DEVICE
JP3829050B2 (en) 2000-08-29 2006-10-04 松下電器産業株式会社 Integrated electronic components
US6640230B1 (en) 2000-09-27 2003-10-28 International Business Machines Corporation Calendar-driven application technique for preparing responses to incoming events
KR20020028108A (en) 2000-10-07 2002-04-16 구자홍 Operating method for electronic mail service displaying status of sender
US7168051B2 (en) 2000-10-10 2007-01-23 Addnclick, Inc. System and method to configure and provide a network-enabled three-dimensional computing environment
US6757365B1 (en) 2000-10-16 2004-06-29 Tellme Networks, Inc. Instant messaging via telephone interfaces
US20020078153A1 (en) 2000-11-02 2002-06-20 Chit Chung Providing secure, instantaneous, directory-integrated, multiparty, communications services
US7725405B2 (en) 2000-11-03 2010-05-25 Yahoo! Inc. System and method for agency based posting and searching for job openings via a computer system and network
US6732155B2 (en) 2000-12-01 2004-05-04 Microsoft Corporation Dynamic controlling of attribute-specific list for improved object organization
US20020112181A1 (en) 2000-12-12 2002-08-15 Smith Mark Elwin Multilevel secure network access system
US20040260781A1 (en) 2000-12-14 2004-12-23 Shostack Ronald N. Web based dating service with weighted interests matching
US20020116458A1 (en) 2000-12-14 2002-08-22 Jonathan Bricklin Web-based dating service
US6668173B2 (en) 2000-12-15 2003-12-23 Motorola, Inc. Instant message user location tracking system
US20020075303A1 (en) 2000-12-18 2002-06-20 Nortel Networks Limited And Bell Canada Method and system for creating a virtual team environment
US6912563B1 (en) 2000-12-19 2005-06-28 Digi-Net Technologies Methods and systems for proactive on-line communications
US6701348B2 (en) 2000-12-22 2004-03-02 Goodcontacts.Com Method and system for automatically updating contact information within a contact database
US6993564B2 (en) 2000-12-22 2006-01-31 At&T Corp. Method of authorizing receipt of instant messages by a recipient user
US7222156B2 (en) 2001-01-25 2007-05-22 Microsoft Corporation Integrating collaborative messaging into an electronic mail program
US20020103801A1 (en) 2001-01-31 2002-08-01 Lyons Martha L. Centralized clearinghouse for community identity information
US20020147777A1 (en) 2001-02-06 2002-10-10 Hackbarth Randy L. Apparatus and method for use in portal service for a team utilizing collaboration services
US7159178B2 (en) 2001-02-20 2007-01-02 Communispace Corp. System for supporting a virtual community
US8219620B2 (en) 2001-02-20 2012-07-10 Mcafee, Inc. Unwanted e-mail filtering system including voting feedback
US6941466B2 (en) 2001-02-22 2005-09-06 International Business Machines Corporation Method and apparatus for providing automatic e-mail filtering based on message semantics, sender's e-mail ID, and user's identity
US6714791B2 (en) 2001-02-23 2004-03-30 Danger, Inc. System, apparatus and method for location-based instant messaging
US7525951B2 (en) 2001-03-07 2009-04-28 Netscape Communications Corporation Integration of e-mail with instant messaging services
US6542817B2 (en) 2001-03-13 2003-04-01 Alpine Electronics, Inc. Route search method in navigation system
US20020133535A1 (en) 2001-03-14 2002-09-19 Microsoft Corporation Identity-centric data access
US6981223B2 (en) 2001-03-19 2005-12-27 Ecrio, Inc. Method, apparatus and computer readable medium for multiple messaging session management with a graphical user interface
US20020138286A1 (en) 2001-03-26 2002-09-26 Engstrom G. Eric Method and apparatus for generating electronic personas
CN1537264A (en) 2001-03-27 2004-10-13 Method, system and storage medium for iconic language communication tool
US20020198882A1 (en) 2001-03-29 2002-12-26 Linden Gregory D. Content personalization based on actions performed during a current browsing session
US6934917B2 (en) 2001-04-20 2005-08-23 Koninklijke Philips Electronics, N.V. Automatic selection of favorite media selections of a user of a media presentation device
AUPR459901A0 (en) 2001-04-27 2001-05-24 Sharinga Networks Inc. Instant messaging
US7058690B2 (en) 2001-05-11 2006-06-06 Kabushiki Kaisha Square Enix Method for registering user information to exchange message on network
US7190956B2 (en) 2001-05-15 2007-03-13 Motorola Inc. Instant message proxy for circuit switched mobile environment
US7667705B2 (en) * 2001-05-15 2010-02-23 Nintendo Of America Inc. System and method for controlling animation by tagging objects within a game environment
US6992787B2 (en) 2001-05-16 2006-01-31 Eastman Kodak Company Method of purchasing image bearing products
US20020174026A1 (en) 2001-05-18 2002-11-21 Pickover Clifford A. Method and apparatus for facilitating the locating of an item
US7325234B2 (en) 2001-05-25 2008-01-29 Siemens Medical Solutions Health Services Corporation System and method for monitoring computer application and resource utilization
US8311887B2 (en) 2001-05-29 2012-11-13 Fujitsu Limited Methods, devices and systems for real-time instant presence with advertisement (RIPA)
US6983305B2 (en) 2001-05-30 2006-01-03 Microsoft Corporation Systems and methods for interfacing with a user in instant messaging
US7380126B2 (en) 2001-06-01 2008-05-27 Logan James D Methods and apparatus for controlling the transmission and receipt of email messages
JP3961784B2 (en) 2001-06-01 2007-08-22 株式会社エヌ・ティ・ティ・ドコモ Positioning device, positioning result correcting method, program, and recording medium
AU2002310341A1 (en) 2001-06-07 2002-12-16 Unwired Express, Inc. Method and system for providing context awareness
US7660854B2 (en) 2001-06-28 2010-02-09 Michoel Sorotzkin System and method for confirming specification of intended electronic mail message recipients
US20030009495A1 (en) 2001-06-29 2003-01-09 Akli Adjaoute Systems and methods for filtering electronic content
US7552081B2 (en) 2001-06-29 2009-06-23 International Business Machines Corporation User rating system for online auctions
US20030004872A1 (en) 2001-06-29 2003-01-02 Gardi Michael E. Electronic direct marketing
US7069266B2 (en) 2001-06-29 2006-06-27 International Business Machines Corporation System and method for personnel management collaboration
US6876728B2 (en) 2001-07-02 2005-04-05 Nortel Networks Limited Instant messaging using a wireless interface
US7366756B2 (en) 2001-07-09 2008-04-29 Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ) System and method for securing privacy of chat participants
US7249139B2 (en) 2001-07-13 2007-07-24 Accenture Global Services Gmbh Secure virtual marketplace for virtual objects and services
US7673342B2 (en) 2001-07-26 2010-03-02 Mcafee, Inc. Detecting e-mail propagated malware
US7257617B2 (en) 2001-07-26 2007-08-14 International Business Machines Corporation Notifying users when messaging sessions are recorded
US20030023690A1 (en) 2001-07-26 2003-01-30 Sunit Lohtia Method and apparatus for providing selective delivery of notifications to users of multiple devices over a network
EP1282024A1 (en) 2001-07-30 2003-02-05 Hewlett-Packard Company Trusted identities on a trusted computing platform
US7085259B2 (en) 2001-07-31 2006-08-01 Comverse, Inc. Animated audio messaging
US6785681B2 (en) 2001-07-31 2004-08-31 Intel Corporation Generating a list of people relevant to a task
US7278108B2 (en) 2001-08-10 2007-10-02 Danger, Inc. System and method of displaying multiple pending notifications in a single window
US7266583B2 (en) 2001-08-20 2007-09-04 International Business Machines Corporation Method and system for providing contact management to chat session participants
US20030041108A1 (en) 2001-08-22 2003-02-27 Henrick Robert F. Enhancement of communications by peer-to-peer collaborative web browsing
US7035865B2 (en) 2001-08-28 2006-04-25 International Business Machines Corporation Calendar-enhanced awareness for instant messaging systems and electronic status boards
US6910189B2 (en) 2001-08-30 2005-06-21 International Business Machines Corporation Method, system, and computer program product for electronic messaging mail list management
US20030046210A1 (en) 2001-08-31 2003-03-06 Vora Poorvi L. Anonymous acquisition of digital products based on secret splitting
US7567575B2 (en) 2001-09-07 2009-07-28 At&T Corp. Personalized multimedia services using a mobile service platform
US7765484B2 (en) 2001-09-28 2010-07-27 Aol Inc. Passive personalization of lists
EP1442411A4 (en) 2001-09-30 2006-02-01 Realcontacts Ltd Connection service
US20030084103A1 (en) 2001-10-29 2003-05-01 Comverse, Ltd. Method and system for third-party initiation of an anonymous tele-chat session
US7145678B2 (en) 2001-10-30 2006-12-05 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Configurable web-based imaging service that prevents time consuming jobs from printing
US7958550B2 (en) 2001-11-02 2011-06-07 Sterling Commerce, Inc. Method and system for secure communication
US20030093580A1 (en) 2001-11-09 2003-05-15 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Method and system for information alerts
US7035863B2 (en) * 2001-11-13 2006-04-25 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Method, system and program product for populating a user profile based on existing user profiles
US6501834B1 (en) 2001-11-21 2002-12-31 At&T Corp. Message sender status monitor
US6988129B2 (en) 2001-11-26 2006-01-17 Pitney Bowes Inc. Method for providing address change notification in an electronic message forwarding system
US20030131061A1 (en) 2001-11-28 2003-07-10 Active Buddy, Inc. Transparent proxy server for instant messaging system and methods
US7289793B2 (en) 2001-12-03 2007-10-30 Scott Gilbert Method and apparatus for displaying real-time information objects between a wireless mobile user station and multiple information sources based upon event driven parameters and user modifiable object manifest
US6646903B2 (en) 2001-12-03 2003-11-11 Intel Corporation Ferroelectric memory input/output apparatus
US7032007B2 (en) 2001-12-05 2006-04-18 International Business Machines Corporation Apparatus and method for monitoring instant messaging accounts
US6839797B2 (en) 2001-12-21 2005-01-04 Agere Systems, Inc. Multi-bank scheduling to improve performance on tree accesses in a DRAM based random access memory subsystem
US20030119531A1 (en) 2001-12-21 2003-06-26 Patton Charles M. Dynamic selection of avatar policies based on physical device location and derived user control
US20040205480A1 (en) 2001-12-21 2004-10-14 G.E. Information Services, Inc. Auto-expiring picture internet control
US7216143B2 (en) 2002-01-03 2007-05-08 International Business Machines Corporation Instant messaging with voice conference feature
US7359943B2 (en) 2002-01-22 2008-04-15 Yahoo! Inc. Providing instant messaging functionality in non-instant messaging environments
US7167910B2 (en) 2002-02-20 2007-01-23 Microsoft Corporation Social mapping of contacts from computer communication information
US6850255B2 (en) 2002-02-28 2005-02-01 James Edward Muschetto Method and apparatus for accessing information, computer programs and electronic communications across multiple computing devices using a graphical user interface
CA2477962C (en) 2002-03-01 2013-07-16 Enterasys Networks, Inc. Location aware data network
US7636754B2 (en) 2002-03-21 2009-12-22 Cisco Technology, Inc. Rich multi-media format for use in a collaborative computing system
US20030231207A1 (en) * 2002-03-25 2003-12-18 Baohua Huang Personal e-mail system and method
US20030187813A1 (en) 2002-03-26 2003-10-02 Goldman Neal D. System and method for identifying relationship paths to a target entity
US6731323B2 (en) 2002-04-10 2004-05-04 International Business Machines Corporation Media-enhanced greetings and/or responses in communication systems
US6800031B2 (en) 2002-04-15 2004-10-05 Microsoft Corporation Method of conducting an interactive competition
US7343312B2 (en) 2002-04-25 2008-03-11 International Business Machines Corporation Event scheduling with optimization
US7127685B2 (en) 2002-04-30 2006-10-24 America Online, Inc. Instant messaging interface having a tear-off element
US7779076B2 (en) 2002-05-31 2010-08-17 Aol Inc. Instant messaging personalization
US7689649B2 (en) 2002-05-31 2010-03-30 Aol Inc. Rendering destination instant messaging personalization items before communicating with destination
US20030225848A1 (en) 2002-05-31 2003-12-04 Brian Heikes Remote instant messaging personalization items
US20030210265A1 (en) 2002-05-10 2003-11-13 Haimberg Nadav Y. Interactive chat messaging
US7395329B1 (en) 2002-05-13 2008-07-01 At&T Delaware Intellectual Property., Inc. Real-time notification of presence availability changes
JP2004046793A (en) * 2002-05-17 2004-02-12 Nintendo Co Ltd Image processing system
US7636751B2 (en) 2002-11-21 2009-12-22 Aol Llc Multiple personalities
US20030225847A1 (en) 2002-05-31 2003-12-04 Brian Heikes Sending instant messaging personalization items
US7685237B1 (en) 2002-05-31 2010-03-23 Aol Inc. Multiple personalities in chat communications
US7461378B2 (en) 2002-06-11 2008-12-02 Siemens Communications, Inc. Methods and apparatus for processing an instant message
US7111044B2 (en) 2002-07-17 2006-09-19 Fastmobile, Inc. Method and system for displaying group chat sessions on wireless mobile terminals
US7596599B1 (en) 2002-07-31 2009-09-29 Facetime Communications, Inc. Management capabilities for real-time messaging networks
WO2004015627A2 (en) 2002-08-09 2004-02-19 Corticon Technologies, Inc. Rule engine
JP2004102547A (en) 2002-09-06 2004-04-02 Nec Corp Communication system, communication server, and communicating method
US7185059B2 (en) 2002-09-17 2007-02-27 Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corp Multi-system instant messaging (IM)
US6976092B1 (en) 2002-09-17 2005-12-13 Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corp. System that using transport protocol objects located at agent location to generate session ID and to provide translation between different instant messaging protocols
US20040054736A1 (en) 2002-09-17 2004-03-18 Daniell W. Todd Object architecture for integration of email and instant messaging (IM)
US20040056901A1 (en) 2002-09-24 2004-03-25 March Wendy A. Method, apparatus and system for representing relationships using a buddy list
US20040186738A1 (en) 2002-10-24 2004-09-23 Richard Reisman Method and apparatus for an idea adoption marketplace
US8037150B2 (en) 2002-11-21 2011-10-11 Aol Inc. System and methods for providing multiple personas in a communications environment
US7313760B2 (en) 2002-12-19 2007-12-25 Microsoft Corporation Contact picker
US7177880B2 (en) 2002-12-19 2007-02-13 International Business Machines Corporation Method of creating and displaying relationship chains between users of a computerized network
US7418663B2 (en) 2002-12-19 2008-08-26 Microsoft Corporation Contact picker interface
US7970712B2 (en) 2002-12-19 2011-06-28 International Business Machines Corporation Displaying strengths of social relationships between a user and other people
US7949759B2 (en) 2003-04-02 2011-05-24 AOL, Inc. Degrees of separation for handling communications
US8712397B2 (en) 2003-02-10 2014-04-29 Guang Feng Method and apparatus for controllable communication
US20070113181A1 (en) 2003-03-03 2007-05-17 Blattner Patrick D Using avatars to communicate real-time information
US20040179037A1 (en) 2003-03-03 2004-09-16 Blattner Patrick D. Using avatars to communicate context out-of-band
US7908554B1 (en) 2003-03-03 2011-03-15 Aol Inc. Modifying avatar behavior based on user action or mood
US20070168863A1 (en) 2003-03-03 2007-07-19 Aol Llc Interacting avatars in an instant messaging communication session
US7913176B1 (en) 2003-03-03 2011-03-22 Aol Inc. Applying access controls to communications with avatars
US7406501B2 (en) 2003-03-24 2008-07-29 Yahoo! Inc. System and method for instant messaging using an e-mail protocol
US20040215648A1 (en) 2003-04-08 2004-10-28 The Corporate Library System, method and computer program product for identifying and displaying inter-relationships between corporate directors and boards
US7412491B2 (en) 2003-04-30 2008-08-12 International Business Machines Corporation Method and apparatus for enhancing instant messaging systems
US7127232B2 (en) 2003-05-08 2006-10-24 Bell South Intellectual Property Corporation Multiple access internet portal revenue sharing
WO2004102858A2 (en) 2003-05-13 2004-11-25 Cohen Hunter C Deriving contact information from emails
CN1910646A (en) 2003-05-20 2007-02-07 美国在线服务公司 Presence and geographic location notification
US7069308B2 (en) 2003-06-16 2006-06-27 Friendster, Inc. System, method and apparatus for connecting users in an online computer system based on their relationships within social networks
US7124123B1 (en) 2003-06-30 2006-10-17 America Online, Inc. Intelligent processing in the context of away and offline instant messages
US7653693B2 (en) 2003-09-05 2010-01-26 Aol Llc Method and system for capturing instant messages
US20050091311A1 (en) 2003-07-29 2005-04-28 Lund Christopher D. Method and apparatus for distributing multimedia to remote clients
US7512653B2 (en) 2003-08-11 2009-03-31 Sony Corporation System and method for dynamically grouping messaging buddies in an electronic network
US8131803B2 (en) 2003-08-19 2012-03-06 Research In Motion Limited System and method for integrating an address book with an instant messaging application in a mobile station
US20050043989A1 (en) 2003-08-19 2005-02-24 Shifrin Daniel G. System and method of facilitating content delivery to a user
US20050060377A1 (en) 2003-09-12 2005-03-17 Chen Chien Lo Transitory messaging with location information
US7202814B2 (en) 2003-09-26 2007-04-10 Siemens Communications, Inc. System and method for presence-based area monitoring
US7451218B2 (en) 2003-10-14 2008-11-11 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. Automated instant messaging state control based upon email persona utilization
US7200638B2 (en) 2003-10-14 2007-04-03 International Business Machines Corporation System and method for automatic population of instant messenger lists
US20050080863A1 (en) 2003-10-14 2005-04-14 Daniell W. Todd Providing indicators in group email messages
US7181498B2 (en) 2003-10-31 2007-02-20 Yahoo! Inc. Community-based green list for antispam
GB2407731B (en) 2003-11-03 2006-12-20 Qualcomm Incoming call screening, control and prioritization in a telephone device
US7451190B2 (en) 2003-11-26 2008-11-11 Yahoo! Inc. Associating multiple visibility profiles with a user of a real-time communication system
US7436780B2 (en) 2003-12-17 2008-10-14 Time Warner, Inc. Method and apparatus for approximating location of node attached to a network
US7269590B2 (en) 2004-01-29 2007-09-11 Yahoo! Inc. Method and system for customizing views of information associated with a social network user
US7885901B2 (en) 2004-01-29 2011-02-08 Yahoo! Inc. Method and system for seeding online social network contacts
US20050197846A1 (en) 2004-03-04 2005-09-08 Peter Pezaris Method and system for generating a proximity index in a social networking environment
WO2005089286A2 (en) 2004-03-15 2005-09-29 America Online, Inc. Sharing social network information
US7673003B2 (en) 2004-04-28 2010-03-02 Microsoft Corporation Social network email filtering
US20050289147A1 (en) 2004-06-25 2005-12-29 Jessica Kahn News feed viewer
US7675519B2 (en) 2004-08-05 2010-03-09 Elite Avatars, Inc. Persistent, immersible and extractable avatars
US20060075044A1 (en) 2004-09-30 2006-04-06 Fox Kevin D System and method for electronic contact list-based search and display
JP2006155188A (en) 2004-11-29 2006-06-15 Sony Corp Information processing system, device and method for providing information, electronic device and method, device and method for processing information, recording medium, and program
US20060168054A1 (en) 2004-12-13 2006-07-27 Ebay Inc. Messaging method and apparatus
US20060167991A1 (en) 2004-12-16 2006-07-27 Heikes Brian D Buddy list filtering
US7468729B1 (en) 2004-12-21 2008-12-23 Aol Llc, A Delaware Limited Liability Company Using an avatar to generate user profile information
US20060173824A1 (en) 2005-02-01 2006-08-03 Metalincs Corporation Electronic communication analysis and visualization
US20060173963A1 (en) 2005-02-03 2006-08-03 Microsoft Corporation Propagating and responding to announcements in an environment having pre-established social groups
US7924285B2 (en) 2005-04-06 2011-04-12 Microsoft Corporation Exposing various levels of text granularity for animation and other effects
US20060248573A1 (en) 2005-04-28 2006-11-02 Content Guard Holdings, Inc. System and method for developing and using trusted policy based on a social model
US20070156664A1 (en) 2005-07-06 2007-07-05 Gemini Mobile Technologies, Inc. Automatic user matching in an online environment
US8688801B2 (en) 2005-07-25 2014-04-01 Qurio Holdings, Inc. Syndication feeds for peer computer devices and peer networks
US20080228598A1 (en) 2007-03-06 2008-09-18 Andy Leff Providing marketplace functionality in a business directory and/or social-network site
US20080255976A1 (en) 2007-04-10 2008-10-16 Utbk, Inc. Systems and Methods to Present Members of a Social Network for Real Time Communications
US20090043844A1 (en) 2007-08-09 2009-02-12 International Business Machines Corporation System and method for name conflict resolution
US9063981B2 (en) 2007-10-01 2015-06-23 International Business Machines Corporation Method and system for searching contact lists quickly—by group name, tags and/or metadata
DE102011111742A1 (en) 2011-08-24 2013-02-28 Daimler Ag The fuel cell system

Patent Citations (99)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5761662A (en) * 1994-12-20 1998-06-02 Sun Microsystems, Inc. Personalized information retrieval using user-defined profile
US5710884A (en) * 1995-03-29 1998-01-20 Intel Corporation System for automatically updating personal profile server with updates to additional user information gathered from monitoring user's electronic consuming habits generated on computer during use
US7181690B1 (en) * 1995-11-13 2007-02-20 Worlds. Com Inc. System and method for enabling users to interact in a virtual space
US6219045B1 (en) * 1995-11-13 2001-04-17 Worlds, Inc. Scalable virtual world chat client-server system
US5880731A (en) * 1995-12-14 1999-03-09 Microsoft Corporation Use of avatars with automatic gesturing and bounded interaction in on-line chat session
US6349327B1 (en) * 1995-12-22 2002-02-19 Sun Microsystems, Inc. System and method enabling awareness of others working on similar tasks in a computer work environment
US5793365A (en) * 1996-01-02 1998-08-11 Sun Microsystems, Inc. System and method providing a computer user interface enabling access to distributed workgroup members
US6069622A (en) * 1996-03-08 2000-05-30 Microsoft Corporation Method and system for generating comic panels
US6232966B1 (en) * 1996-03-08 2001-05-15 Microsoft Corporation Method and system for generating comic panels
US5848396A (en) * 1996-04-26 1998-12-08 Freedom Of Information, Inc. Method and apparatus for determining behavioral profile of a computer user
US5835722A (en) * 1996-06-27 1998-11-10 Logon Data Corporation System to control content and prohibit certain interactive attempts by a person using a personal computer
US6346956B2 (en) * 1996-09-30 2002-02-12 Sony Corporation Three-dimensional virtual reality space display processing apparatus, a three-dimensional virtual reality space display processing method, and an information providing medium
US5796948A (en) * 1996-11-12 1998-08-18 Cohen; Elliot D. Offensive message interceptor for computers
US5884029A (en) * 1996-11-14 1999-03-16 International Business Machines Corporation User interaction with intelligent virtual objects, avatars, which interact with other avatars controlled by different users
US5963217A (en) * 1996-11-18 1999-10-05 7Thstreet.Com, Inc. Network conference system using limited bandwidth to generate locally animated displays
US6374237B1 (en) * 1996-12-24 2002-04-16 Intel Corporation Data set selection based upon user profile
US5894305A (en) * 1997-03-10 1999-04-13 Intel Corporation Method and apparatus for displaying graphical messages
US6014135A (en) * 1997-04-04 2000-01-11 Netscape Communications Corp. Collaboration centric document processing environment using an information centric visual user interface and information presentation method
US6268872B1 (en) * 1997-05-21 2001-07-31 Sony Corporation Client apparatus, image display controlling method, shared virtual space providing apparatus and method, and program providing medium
US6128739A (en) * 1997-06-17 2000-10-03 Micron Electronics, Inc. Apparatus for locating a stolen electronic device using electronic mail
US6227974B1 (en) * 1997-06-27 2001-05-08 Nds Limited Interactive game system
US6708203B1 (en) * 1997-10-20 2004-03-16 The Delfin Project, Inc. Method and system for filtering messages based on a user profile and an informational processing system event
US6560588B1 (en) * 1997-10-30 2003-05-06 Nortel Networks Limited Method and apparatus for identifying items of information from a multi-user information system
US6587127B1 (en) * 1997-11-25 2003-07-01 Motorola, Inc. Content player method and server with user profile
US6091410A (en) * 1997-11-26 2000-07-18 International Business Machines Corporation Avatar pointing mode
US6694375B1 (en) * 1997-12-04 2004-02-17 British Telecommunications Public Limited Company Communications network and method having accessible directory of user profile data
US20030080989A1 (en) * 1998-01-23 2003-05-01 Koichi Matsuda Information processing apparatus, method and medium using a virtual reality space
US20030206170A1 (en) * 1998-02-13 2003-11-06 Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. Method and apparatus for creating personal autonomous avatars
US20010019330A1 (en) * 1998-02-13 2001-09-06 Timothy W. Bickmore Method and apparatus for creating personal autonomous avatars
US6466213B2 (en) * 1998-02-13 2002-10-15 Xerox Corporation Method and apparatus for creating personal autonomous avatars
US5987415A (en) * 1998-03-23 1999-11-16 Microsoft Corporation Modeling a user's emotion and personality in a computer user interface
US6798426B1 (en) * 1998-04-07 2004-09-28 Konami Co., Ltd. Character image display control method and apparatus, and storage medium therefor
US6185614B1 (en) * 1998-05-26 2001-02-06 International Business Machines Corp. Method and system for collecting user profile information over the world-wide web in the presence of dynamic content using document comparators
US6252588B1 (en) * 1998-06-16 2001-06-26 Zentek Technology, Inc. Method and apparatus for providing an audio visual e-mail system
US6256633B1 (en) * 1998-06-25 2001-07-03 U.S. Philips Corporation Context-based and user-profile driven information retrieval
US6205478B1 (en) * 1998-07-08 2001-03-20 Fujitsu Limited System for exchanging user information among users
US6539375B2 (en) * 1998-08-04 2003-03-25 Microsoft Corporation Method and system for generating and using a computer user's personal interest profile
US6640229B1 (en) * 1998-09-18 2003-10-28 Tacit Knowledge Systems, Inc. Automatic management of terms in a user profile in a knowledge management system
US6115709A (en) * 1998-09-18 2000-09-05 Tacit Knowledge Systems, Inc. Method and system for constructing a knowledge profile of a user having unrestricted and restricted access portions according to respective levels of confidence of content of the portions
US6253202B1 (en) * 1998-09-18 2001-06-26 Tacit Knowledge Systems, Inc. Method, system and apparatus for authorizing access by a first user to a knowledge profile of a second user responsive to an access request from the first user
US6874127B2 (en) * 1998-12-18 2005-03-29 Tangis Corporation Method and system for controlling presentation of information to a user based on the user's condition
US6654735B1 (en) * 1999-01-08 2003-11-25 International Business Machines Corporation Outbound information analysis for generating user interest profiles and improving user productivity
US20030179222A1 (en) * 1999-03-31 2003-09-25 Tsunetake Noma Information sharing processing method, information sharing processing program storage medium, information sharing processing apparatus, and information sharing processing system
US6151571A (en) * 1999-08-31 2000-11-21 Andersen Consulting System, method and article of manufacture for detecting emotion in voice signals through analysis of a plurality of voice signal parameters
US6748326B1 (en) * 1999-10-15 2004-06-08 Sony Corporation Information processing apparatus and method for displaying weather data as a background for an electronic pet in a virtual space
US6772195B1 (en) * 1999-10-29 2004-08-03 Electronic Arts, Inc. Chat clusters for a virtual world application
US20020005865A1 (en) * 1999-12-17 2002-01-17 Barbara Hayes-Roth System, method, and device for authoring content for interactive agents
US6189790B1 (en) * 1999-12-22 2001-02-20 Ncr Corporation Method and apparatus for displaying instructional messages during operation of a self-service checkout terminal
US20060184886A1 (en) * 1999-12-22 2006-08-17 Urbanpixel Inc. Spatial chat in a multiple browser environment
US6907571B2 (en) * 2000-03-01 2005-06-14 Benjamin Slotznick Adjunct use of instant messenger software to enable communications to or between chatterbots or other software agents
US7181441B2 (en) * 2000-03-01 2007-02-20 Sony Deutschland Gmbh Management of user profile data
US6948131B1 (en) * 2000-03-08 2005-09-20 Vidiator Enterprises Inc. Communication system and method including rich media tools
US20060064645A1 (en) * 2000-03-08 2006-03-23 Vidiator Enterprises Inc. Communication system and method including rich media tools
US7007065B2 (en) * 2000-04-21 2006-02-28 Sony Corporation Information processing apparatus and method, and storage medium
US20020165727A1 (en) * 2000-05-22 2002-11-07 Greene William S. Method and system for managing partitioned data resources
US20030004774A1 (en) * 2000-05-22 2003-01-02 Greene William S. Method and system for realizing an avatar in a management operations center implemented in a global ecosystem of interrelated services
US6545682B1 (en) * 2000-05-24 2003-04-08 There, Inc. Method and apparatus for creating and customizing avatars using genetic paradigm
US7056217B1 (en) * 2000-05-31 2006-06-06 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Messaging service for video game systems with buddy list that displays game being played
US6781608B1 (en) * 2000-06-30 2004-08-24 America Online, Inc. Gradual image display
US7159008B1 (en) * 2000-06-30 2007-01-02 Immersion Corporation Chat interface with haptic feedback functionality
US20050227676A1 (en) * 2000-07-27 2005-10-13 Microsoft Corporation Place specific buddy list services
US6968179B1 (en) * 2000-07-27 2005-11-22 Microsoft Corporation Place specific buddy list services
US6725048B2 (en) * 2000-09-22 2004-04-20 Ericsson Inc. Traffic congestion management when providing realtime information to service providers
US6731307B1 (en) * 2000-10-30 2004-05-04 Koninklije Philips Electronics N.V. User interface/entertainment device that simulates personal interaction and responds to user's mental state and/or personality
US7039676B1 (en) * 2000-10-31 2006-05-02 International Business Machines Corporation Using video image analysis to automatically transmit gestures over a network in a chat or instant messaging session
US7177811B1 (en) * 2000-11-03 2007-02-13 At&T Corp. Method for sending multi-media messages using customizable background images
US7035803B1 (en) * 2000-11-03 2006-04-25 At&T Corp. Method for sending multi-media messages using customizable background images
US20020104087A1 (en) * 2000-12-05 2002-08-01 Philips Electronics North America Corp. Method and apparatus for selective updating of a user profile
US6910186B2 (en) * 2000-12-08 2005-06-21 Kyunam Kim Graphic chatting with organizational avatars
US20030156134A1 (en) * 2000-12-08 2003-08-21 Kyunam Kim Graphic chatting with organizational avatars
US20020078150A1 (en) * 2000-12-18 2002-06-20 Nortel Networks Limited And Bell Canada Method of team member profile selection within a virtual team environment
US20020113809A1 (en) * 2000-12-27 2002-08-22 Yoshiko Akazawa Apparatus and method for providing virtual world customized for user
US20020111994A1 (en) * 2001-02-14 2002-08-15 International Business Machines Corporation Information provision over a network based on a user's profile
US6708205B2 (en) * 2001-02-15 2004-03-16 Suffix Mail, Inc. E-mail messaging system
US20020128746A1 (en) * 2001-02-27 2002-09-12 International Business Machines Corporation Apparatus, system and method for a remotely monitored and operated avatar
US20040137882A1 (en) * 2001-05-02 2004-07-15 Forsyth John Matthew Group communication method for a wireless communication device
US20030014274A1 (en) * 2001-06-08 2003-01-16 Denis Chalon Method of maintaining a user profile
US20040215731A1 (en) * 2001-07-06 2004-10-28 Tzann-En Szeto Christopher Messenger-controlled applications in an instant messaging environment
US7133900B1 (en) * 2001-07-06 2006-11-07 Yahoo! Inc. Sharing and implementing instant messaging environments
US20030020749A1 (en) * 2001-07-10 2003-01-30 Suhayya Abu-Hakima Concept-based message/document viewer for electronic communications and internet searching
US20030050115A1 (en) * 2001-07-13 2003-03-13 Leen Fergus A. System and method for generating profile information for a user of a gaming application
US7231205B2 (en) * 2001-07-26 2007-06-12 Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ) Method for changing graphical data like avatars by mobile telecommunication terminals
US20030061239A1 (en) * 2001-09-26 2003-03-27 Lg Electronics Inc. Multimedia searching and browsing system based on user profile
US20030074409A1 (en) * 2001-10-16 2003-04-17 Xerox Corporation Method and apparatus for generating a user interest profile
US20030105820A1 (en) * 2001-12-03 2003-06-05 Jeffrey Haims Method and apparatus for facilitating online communication
US20060173959A1 (en) * 2001-12-14 2006-08-03 Openwave Systems Inc. Agent based application using data synchronization
US20040003041A1 (en) * 2002-04-02 2004-01-01 Worldcom, Inc. Messaging response system
US6629793B1 (en) * 2002-04-26 2003-10-07 Westie Intellectual Properties Limited Partnership Emoticon keyboard
US7137070B2 (en) * 2002-06-27 2006-11-14 International Business Machines Corporation Sampling responses to communication content for use in analyzing reaction responses to other communications
US20040128353A1 (en) * 2002-07-26 2004-07-01 Goodman Brian D. Creating dynamic interactive alert messages based on extensible document definitions
US7275215B2 (en) * 2002-07-29 2007-09-25 Cerulean Studios, Llc System and method for managing contacts in an instant messaging environment
US20040024822A1 (en) * 2002-08-01 2004-02-05 Werndorfer Scott M. Apparatus and method for generating audio and graphical animations in an instant messaging environment
US6748626B2 (en) * 2002-08-14 2004-06-15 Scott D. Maurer Articulated swing away hinge
US20040034799A1 (en) * 2002-08-15 2004-02-19 International Business Machines Corporation Network system allowing the sharing of user profile information among network users
US20060143569A1 (en) * 2002-09-06 2006-06-29 Kinsella Michael P Communication using avatars
US20040221224A1 (en) * 2002-11-21 2004-11-04 Blattner Patrick D. Multiple avatar personalities
US7386799B1 (en) * 2002-11-21 2008-06-10 Forterra Systems, Inc. Cinematic techniques in avatar-centric communication during a multi-user online simulation
US20050080868A1 (en) * 2003-10-14 2005-04-14 Malik Dale W. Automatically replying to instant messaging (IM) messages
US20050223328A1 (en) * 2004-01-30 2005-10-06 Ashish Ashtekar Method and apparatus for providing dynamic moods for avatars

Cited By (132)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20030011643A1 (en) * 2000-02-18 2003-01-16 Minoru Nishihata Representation data control system, and representation data control device constituting it, and recording medium recording its program
US8250144B2 (en) 2002-11-21 2012-08-21 Blattner Patrick D Multiple avatar personalities
US9215095B2 (en) 2002-11-21 2015-12-15 Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc Multiple personalities
US9807130B2 (en) 2002-11-21 2017-10-31 Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc Multiple avatar personalities
US10291556B2 (en) 2002-11-21 2019-05-14 Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc Multiple personalities
US9256861B2 (en) 2003-03-03 2016-02-09 Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc Modifying avatar behavior based on user action or mood
US7913176B1 (en) 2003-03-03 2011-03-22 Aol Inc. Applying access controls to communications with avatars
US8627215B2 (en) 2003-03-03 2014-01-07 Microsoft Corporation Applying access controls to communications with avatars
US9483859B2 (en) 2003-03-03 2016-11-01 Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc Reactive avatars
US8402378B2 (en) 2003-03-03 2013-03-19 Microsoft Corporation Reactive avatars
US10616367B2 (en) 2003-03-03 2020-04-07 Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc Modifying avatar behavior based on user action or mood
US10504266B2 (en) 2003-03-03 2019-12-10 Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc Reactive avatars
US20060075053A1 (en) * 2003-04-25 2006-04-06 Liang Xu Method for representing virtual image on instant messaging tools
US7707520B2 (en) 2004-01-30 2010-04-27 Yahoo! Inc. Method and apparatus for providing flash-based avatars
US7865566B2 (en) * 2004-01-30 2011-01-04 Yahoo! Inc. Method and apparatus for providing real-time notification for avatars
US20050248574A1 (en) * 2004-01-30 2005-11-10 Ashish Ashtekar Method and apparatus for providing flash-based avatars
US20050216529A1 (en) * 2004-01-30 2005-09-29 Ashish Ashtekar Method and apparatus for providing real-time notification for avatars
US20060077205A1 (en) * 2004-10-12 2006-04-13 Guymon Vernon M Iii Computer-implemented chat system having dual channel communications and self-defining product structures
US7342587B2 (en) 2004-10-12 2008-03-11 Imvu, Inc. Computer-implemented system and method for home page customization and e-commerce support
US7995064B2 (en) * 2004-10-12 2011-08-09 Imvu, Inc. Computer-implemented chat system having dual channel communications and self-defining product structures
US20070002057A1 (en) * 2004-10-12 2007-01-04 Matt Danzig Computer-implemented system and method for home page customization and e-commerce support
CN100456749C (en) * 2004-11-05 2009-01-28 腾讯科技(深圳)有限公司 Method and system for providing dynamic graphic display for user based on instantaneous communication platform
US9652809B1 (en) 2004-12-21 2017-05-16 Aol Inc. Using user profile information to determine an avatar and/or avatar characteristics
US7912793B1 (en) 2005-01-13 2011-03-22 Imvu, Inc. Computer-implemented method and apparatus to allocate revenue from a derived avatar component
US8290881B2 (en) 2005-01-13 2012-10-16 Imvu, Inc. Computer-implemented method and apparatus to allocate revenue from a derived digital component
US8650134B2 (en) 2005-01-13 2014-02-11 Imvu, Inc. Computer-implemented hierarchical revenue model to manage revenue allocations among derived product developers in a networked system
CN1842005B (en) * 2005-03-28 2010-07-14 腾讯科技(深圳)有限公司 Method for realizing picture and words message show
US20070005710A1 (en) * 2005-06-29 2007-01-04 Microsoft Corporation Message communication channel
EP1938279A4 (en) * 2005-09-30 2011-03-23 Avatar Factory Corp A computer-implemented system and method for home page customization and e-commerce support
US20070124387A1 (en) * 2005-11-22 2007-05-31 Yahoo! Inc. Previous communication updating in instant messaging
US8421805B2 (en) * 2006-02-09 2013-04-16 Dialogic Corporation Smooth morphing between personal video calling avatars
US20070188502A1 (en) * 2006-02-09 2007-08-16 Bishop Wendell E Smooth morphing between personal video calling avatars
US20130145261A1 (en) * 2006-04-05 2013-06-06 Research In Motion Limited Handheld electronic device and method for performing optimized spell checking during text entry by providing a sequentially ordered spell-check algorithms
US9128922B2 (en) * 2006-04-05 2015-09-08 Blackberry Limited Handheld electronic device and method for performing optimized spell checking during text entry by providing a sequentially ordered series of spell-check algorithms
US20080141138A1 (en) * 2006-12-06 2008-06-12 Yahoo! Inc. Apparatus and methods for providing a person's status
US20110219318A1 (en) * 2007-07-12 2011-09-08 Raj Vasant Abhyanker Character expression in a geo-spatial environment
US20090019366A1 (en) * 2007-07-12 2009-01-15 Fatdoor, Inc. Character expression in a geo-spatial environment
US7966567B2 (en) 2007-07-12 2011-06-21 Center'd Corp. Character expression in a geo-spatial environment
US20090037822A1 (en) * 2007-07-31 2009-02-05 Qurio Holdings, Inc. Context-aware shared content representations
US20100306686A1 (en) * 2007-09-28 2010-12-02 France Telecom Method for representing a user, and corresponding device and computer software product
US20090094368A1 (en) * 2007-10-08 2009-04-09 Steven Francis Best Instant messaging general queue depth management
US8261307B1 (en) 2007-10-25 2012-09-04 Qurio Holdings, Inc. Wireless multimedia content brokerage service for real time selective content provisioning
US8695044B1 (en) 2007-10-25 2014-04-08 Qurio Holdings, Inc. Wireless multimedia content brokerage service for real time selective content provisioning
US20090128567A1 (en) * 2007-11-15 2009-05-21 Brian Mark Shuster Multi-instance, multi-user animation with coordinated chat
US8954849B2 (en) * 2007-12-12 2015-02-10 International Business Machines Corporation Communication support method, system, and server device
US20090158175A1 (en) * 2007-12-12 2009-06-18 Jun Doi Communication support method, system, and server device
US7447996B1 (en) * 2008-02-28 2008-11-04 International Business Machines Corporation System for using gender analysis of names to assign avatars in instant messaging applications
US8817022B2 (en) * 2008-04-03 2014-08-26 Cisco Technology, Inc. Reactive virtual environment
US9430860B2 (en) 2008-04-03 2016-08-30 Cisco Technology, Inc. Reactive virtual environment
US20130342534A1 (en) * 2008-04-03 2013-12-26 Cisco Technology, Inc. Reactive virtual environment
US9592451B2 (en) * 2008-05-01 2017-03-14 International Business Machines Corporation Directed communication in a virtual environment
US20090276707A1 (en) * 2008-05-01 2009-11-05 Hamilton Ii Rick A Directed communication in a virtual environment
US20140368543A1 (en) * 2008-05-01 2014-12-18 International Business Machines Corporation Directed communication in a virtual environment
US8875026B2 (en) * 2008-05-01 2014-10-28 International Business Machines Corporation Directed communication in a virtual environment
US20090282472A1 (en) * 2008-05-09 2009-11-12 Hamilton Ii Rick A Secure communication modes in a virtual universe
US8051462B2 (en) 2008-05-09 2011-11-01 International Business Machines Corporation Secure communication modes in a virtual universe
US20100082515A1 (en) * 2008-09-26 2010-04-01 Verizon Data Services, Llc Environmental factor based virtual communication systems and methods
US10924797B2 (en) * 2008-10-01 2021-02-16 Lyft, Inc. Presentation of an avatar in a media communication system
US10051315B2 (en) * 2008-10-01 2018-08-14 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. Presentation of an avatar in a media communication system
US20190069021A1 (en) * 2008-10-01 2019-02-28 Prosper Technology, LLC. Presentation of an Avatar in a Media Communication System
US9648376B2 (en) * 2008-10-01 2017-05-09 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. Presentation of an avatar in a media communication system
US20150334447A1 (en) * 2008-10-01 2015-11-19 At&T Intellectual Property I, Lp Presentation of an avatar in a media communication system
US20170195709A1 (en) * 2008-10-01 2017-07-06 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. Presentation of an avatar in a media communication system
US8612750B2 (en) 2008-12-02 2013-12-17 International Business Machines Corporation Creating and using secure communications channels for virtual universes
US8291218B2 (en) 2008-12-02 2012-10-16 International Business Machines Corporation Creating and using secure communications channels for virtual universes
US20100332827A1 (en) * 2008-12-02 2010-12-30 International Business Machines Corporation Creating and using secure communications channels for virtual universes
US20100158232A1 (en) * 2008-12-23 2010-06-24 Nortel Networks Limited Accessing recorded conference content
US20100169800A1 (en) * 2008-12-30 2010-07-01 International Business Machines Corporation Controlling attribute expression within a virtual environment
US9220981B2 (en) 2008-12-30 2015-12-29 International Business Machines Corporation Controlling attribute expression within a virtual environment
US20110298810A1 (en) * 2009-02-18 2011-12-08 Nec Corporation Moving-subject control device, moving-subject control system, moving-subject control method, and program
US10666920B2 (en) 2009-09-09 2020-05-26 Apple Inc. Audio alteration techniques
US20110311144A1 (en) * 2010-06-17 2011-12-22 Microsoft Corporation Rgb/depth camera for improving speech recognition
US8620850B2 (en) 2010-09-07 2013-12-31 Blackberry Limited Dynamically manipulating an emoticon or avatar
US20130104089A1 (en) * 2011-10-20 2013-04-25 Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. Gesture-based methods for interacting with instant messaging and event-based communication applications
CN102594723A (en) * 2012-03-31 2012-07-18 上海量明科技发展有限公司 Instant communication message window separation method and system
US11303850B2 (en) 2012-04-09 2022-04-12 Intel Corporation Communication using interactive avatars
US11595617B2 (en) 2012-04-09 2023-02-28 Intel Corporation Communication using interactive avatars
US20130314405A1 (en) * 2012-05-22 2013-11-28 Commonwealth Scientific And Industrial Research Organisation System and method for generating a video
CN103428446A (en) * 2012-05-22 2013-12-04 联邦科学与工业研究组织 System and method for generating a video
US9406162B2 (en) * 2012-05-22 2016-08-02 Commonwealth Scientific And Industrial Research Organisation System and method of generating a video of an avatar
WO2014057503A3 (en) * 2012-10-12 2014-07-03 Ankush Gupta Method and system for enabling communication between at least two communication devices using an animated character in real-time
US20140325667A1 (en) * 2013-04-25 2014-10-30 Xiao Sun Preventing identity fraud for instant messaging
US9166987B2 (en) * 2013-04-25 2015-10-20 Tencent Technology (Shenzhen) Company Limited Preventing identity fraud for instant messaging
GB2516241A (en) * 2013-07-15 2015-01-21 Michael James Levy Avatar creation system and method
US9865088B2 (en) 2014-01-31 2018-01-09 Empire Technology Development Llc Evaluation of augmented reality skins
US9953462B2 (en) 2014-01-31 2018-04-24 Empire Technology Development Llc Augmented reality skin manager
US10192359B2 (en) 2014-01-31 2019-01-29 Empire Technology Development, Llc Subject selected augmented reality skin
US20160253841A1 (en) * 2014-01-31 2016-09-01 Empire Technology Development, Llc Augmented reality skin evaluation
US9990772B2 (en) * 2014-01-31 2018-06-05 Empire Technology Development Llc Augmented reality skin evaluation
US10250537B2 (en) 2014-02-12 2019-04-02 Mark H. Young Methods and apparatuses for animated messaging between messaging participants represented by avatar
US10979375B2 (en) 2014-02-12 2021-04-13 Mark H. Young Methods and apparatuses for animated messaging between messaging participants represented by avatar
WO2015122993A1 (en) * 2014-02-12 2015-08-20 Young Mark H Methods and apparatuses for animated messaging between messaging participants represented by avatar
USD755225S1 (en) * 2014-06-30 2016-05-03 Aliphcom Display screen or portion thereof with animated graphical user interface
US20230119376A1 (en) * 2014-07-31 2023-04-20 Emonster Inc Customizable animations for text messages
US11532114B2 (en) 2014-07-31 2022-12-20 Emonster Inc Customizable animations for text messages
US12106415B2 (en) 2014-07-31 2024-10-01 Emonster Inc Customizable animations for text messages
US11721058B2 (en) * 2014-07-31 2023-08-08 Emonster Inc. Customizable animations for text messages
US10957088B2 (en) * 2014-07-31 2021-03-23 Emonster Inc. Customizable animations for text messages
US11341707B2 (en) * 2014-07-31 2022-05-24 Emonster Inc Customizable animations for text messages
US20160072737A1 (en) * 2014-09-04 2016-03-10 Microsoft Corporation App powered extensibility of messages on an existing messaging service
US11012385B2 (en) * 2014-09-04 2021-05-18 Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc App powered extensibility of messages on an existing messaging service
US10447621B2 (en) * 2014-09-04 2019-10-15 Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc App powered extensibility of messages on an existing messaging service
US11295502B2 (en) 2014-12-23 2022-04-05 Intel Corporation Augmented facial animation
US20190304155A1 (en) * 2014-12-23 2019-10-03 Intel Corporation Augmented facial animation
US11587279B2 (en) * 2014-12-23 2023-02-21 Intel Corporation Augmented facial animation
EP3410399A1 (en) * 2014-12-23 2018-12-05 Intel Corporation Facial gesture driven animation of non-facial features
EP3238177A4 (en) * 2014-12-23 2018-09-05 Intel Corporation Facial gesture driven animation of non-facial features
US20220237845A1 (en) * 2014-12-23 2022-07-28 Intel Corporation Augmented facial animation
US10540800B2 (en) 2014-12-23 2020-01-21 Intel Corporation Facial gesture driven animation of non-facial features
US10740944B2 (en) * 2014-12-23 2020-08-11 Intel Corporation Augmented facial animation
CN107004288A (en) * 2014-12-23 2017-08-01 英特尔公司 The animation of the face action driving of non-face feature
US20170324859A1 (en) * 2015-02-10 2017-11-09 Tencent Technology (Shenzhen) Company Limited Information processing method, terminal, and computer-readable storage medium
KR20170113614A (en) * 2015-02-10 2017-10-12 텐센트 테크놀로지(센젠) 컴퍼니 리미티드 Information processing method, terminal and computer readable storage medium
US10554805B2 (en) * 2015-02-10 2020-02-04 Tencent Technology (Shenzhen) Company Limited Information processing method, terminal, and computer-readable storage medium
US10425368B2 (en) 2015-02-11 2019-09-24 Tencent Technology (Shenzhen) Company Limited Information processing method, user equipment, server, and computer-readable storage medium
US11887231B2 (en) 2015-12-18 2024-01-30 Tahoe Research, Ltd. Avatar animation system
US10262448B2 (en) * 2016-01-19 2019-04-16 Dreamworks Animation L.L.C. Repurposing existing animated content
US10818063B2 (en) 2016-01-19 2020-10-27 Dreamworks Animation L.L.C. Repurposing existing animated content
US20170206696A1 (en) * 2016-01-19 2017-07-20 Dreamworks Animation Llc Repurposing existing animated content
US10990196B2 (en) 2016-06-02 2021-04-27 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd Screen output method and electronic device supporting same
US20170358117A1 (en) * 2016-06-12 2017-12-14 Apple Inc. Customized Avatars and Associated Framework
US11276217B1 (en) 2016-06-12 2022-03-15 Apple Inc. Customized avatars and associated framework
US10607386B2 (en) * 2016-06-12 2020-03-31 Apple Inc. Customized avatars and associated framework
US20180069815A1 (en) * 2016-09-02 2018-03-08 Bose Corporation Application-based messaging system using headphones
US10592103B2 (en) * 2016-11-22 2020-03-17 Lg Electronics Inc. Mobile terminal and method for controlling the same
US20180336716A1 (en) * 2017-05-16 2018-11-22 Apple Inc. Voice effects based on facial expressions
US10861210B2 (en) 2017-05-16 2020-12-08 Apple Inc. Techniques for providing audio and video effects
WO2019135881A1 (en) * 2018-01-02 2019-07-11 Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc Augmented and virtual reality for traversing group messaging constructs
US10838587B2 (en) 2018-01-02 2020-11-17 Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc Augmented and virtual reality for traversing group messaging constructs
US10586369B1 (en) * 2018-01-31 2020-03-10 Amazon Technologies, Inc. Using dialog and contextual data of a virtual reality environment to create metadata to drive avatar animation
US11410642B2 (en) * 2019-08-16 2022-08-09 Soundhound, Inc. Method and system using phoneme embedding
DE102020100781A1 (en) * 2020-01-15 2021-07-15 Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft Method for providing and exchanging extended representations, in particular of modified vehicle avatars, computer-readable storage medium and system

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US7484176B2 (en) 2009-01-27
US20130290446A1 (en) 2013-10-31
US20090158184A1 (en) 2009-06-18
US8402378B2 (en) 2013-03-19
US20160343160A1 (en) 2016-11-24
US20040179038A1 (en) 2004-09-16
US20040179039A1 (en) 2004-09-16
US10504266B2 (en) 2019-12-10
US9483859B2 (en) 2016-11-01

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US10504266B2 (en) Reactive avatars
US7636755B2 (en) Multiple avatar personalities
US10616367B2 (en) Modifying avatar behavior based on user action or mood
US8627215B2 (en) Applying access controls to communications with avatars
US20070168863A1 (en) Interacting avatars in an instant messaging communication session
US20070113181A1 (en) Using avatars to communicate real-time information
CA2517909A1 (en) Using avatars to communicate
US7468729B1 (en) Using an avatar to generate user profile information
US10042536B2 (en) Avatars reflecting user states
US6948131B1 (en) Communication system and method including rich media tools
WO2007134402A1 (en) Instant messaging system
AU2001241645A1 (en) Communication system and method including rich media tools
US9652809B1 (en) Using user profile information to determine an avatar and/or avatar characteristics
NGUYEN et al. TECHNICAL FIELD

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: AMERICA ONLINE, INC., VIRGINIA

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:BLATTNER, PATRICK D.;ROBINSON, JOHN D.;BLACKWELL, MICHAEL J.;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:014712/0186;SIGNING DATES FROM 20040507 TO 20040518

AS Assignment

Owner name: BANK OF AMERICAN, N.A. AS COLLATERAL AGENT,TEXAS

Free format text: SECURITY AGREEMENT;ASSIGNORS:AOL INC.;AOL ADVERTISING INC.;BEBO, INC.;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:023649/0061

Effective date: 20091209

Owner name: BANK OF AMERICAN, N.A. AS COLLATERAL AGENT, TEXAS

Free format text: SECURITY AGREEMENT;ASSIGNORS:AOL INC.;AOL ADVERTISING INC.;BEBO, INC.;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:023649/0061

Effective date: 20091209

AS Assignment

Owner name: AOL LLC,VIRGINIA

Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:AMERICA ONLINE, INC.;REEL/FRAME:023723/0585

Effective date: 20060403

Owner name: AOL INC.,VIRGINIA

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:AOL LLC;REEL/FRAME:023723/0645

Effective date: 20091204

Owner name: AOL LLC, VIRGINIA

Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:AMERICA ONLINE, INC.;REEL/FRAME:023723/0585

Effective date: 20060403

Owner name: AOL INC., VIRGINIA

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:AOL LLC;REEL/FRAME:023723/0645

Effective date: 20091204

AS Assignment

Owner name: LIGHTNINGCAST LLC, NEW YORK

Free format text: TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS;ASSIGNOR:BANK OF AMERICA, N A;REEL/FRAME:025323/0416

Effective date: 20100930

Owner name: AOL ADVERTISING INC, NEW YORK

Free format text: TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS;ASSIGNOR:BANK OF AMERICA, N A;REEL/FRAME:025323/0416

Effective date: 20100930

Owner name: GOING INC, MASSACHUSETTS

Free format text: TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS;ASSIGNOR:BANK OF AMERICA, N A;REEL/FRAME:025323/0416

Effective date: 20100930

Owner name: AOL INC, VIRGINIA

Free format text: TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS;ASSIGNOR:BANK OF AMERICA, N A;REEL/FRAME:025323/0416

Effective date: 20100930

Owner name: TRUVEO, INC, CALIFORNIA

Free format text: TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS;ASSIGNOR:BANK OF AMERICA, N A;REEL/FRAME:025323/0416

Effective date: 20100930

Owner name: QUIGO TECHNOLOGIES LLC, NEW YORK

Free format text: TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS;ASSIGNOR:BANK OF AMERICA, N A;REEL/FRAME:025323/0416

Effective date: 20100930

Owner name: YEDDA, INC, VIRGINIA

Free format text: TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS;ASSIGNOR:BANK OF AMERICA, N A;REEL/FRAME:025323/0416

Effective date: 20100930

Owner name: SPHERE SOURCE, INC, VIRGINIA

Free format text: TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS;ASSIGNOR:BANK OF AMERICA, N A;REEL/FRAME:025323/0416

Effective date: 20100930

Owner name: MAPQUEST, INC, COLORADO

Free format text: TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS;ASSIGNOR:BANK OF AMERICA, N A;REEL/FRAME:025323/0416

Effective date: 20100930

Owner name: TACODA LLC, NEW YORK

Free format text: TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS;ASSIGNOR:BANK OF AMERICA, N A;REEL/FRAME:025323/0416

Effective date: 20100930

Owner name: NETSCAPE COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION, VIRGINIA

Free format text: TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS;ASSIGNOR:BANK OF AMERICA, N A;REEL/FRAME:025323/0416

Effective date: 20100930

STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION

AS Assignment

Owner name: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC, WASHINGTON

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:MICROSOFT CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:034766/0509

Effective date: 20141014